One-hundred-eighty-one members of Milton Academy’s Class of 2011 received their diplomas on the lawn outside Apthorp Chapel during the School's 212th graduation exercises on Friday, June 10. As is tradition at Milton's commencement, graduates and faculty were led by a bagpiper as they made their way from Straus Library to the ceremony on the quad. Following an invocation by Chaplain Suzanne DeBuhr and welcome by Head of School Todd Bland, the student speakers, Elisabeth Makishima and Samuel Shleifer—elected by classmates to speak on their behalf—addressed the audience. The graduation speaker for the Class of 2011 was author Reif Larson, Milton Academy Class of 1998. Reif 's first novel, The Selected Works Of T.S. Spivet, was a New York Times Bestseller and is currently being published in twenty-nine languages.
Excellence On and Off the Field: Milton Student-Athletes Honored
Milton honored four Class I athletes with the Academy’s traditional and venerable athletic and sportsmanship awards.
Basketball standout Dennis Clifford received the Robert Saltonstall Medal. Over Milton’s history, the Saltonstall has indicated “a distinguished record in all-around physical activity, with emphasis on leadership by example, conscientious training, good body mechanics, and observance of the code of the true sportsman.”
“On the hardwood, Dennis not only changed Milton’s game outcomes, he single-handedly changed our basketball program,” said Todd Bland, Head of School. “Dennis’s peers look up to him—literally and figuratively. He is a sports icon on campus who handles his identity and role beautifully. Dennis represents so much about what is great about Milton.”
Dennis said he was “surprised and overwhelmed” to receive the award. Dennis was also acknowledged for his contributions to the track team the past two years. “I was ready to work hard because I just love competing," Dennis said. “But I also grew to really like track.”
Inspired by their semester at the Mountain School Program of Milton Academy, Caitlin Dutkiewicz (I) and Anika Wasserman (I) decided to start a vegetable garden from scratch as their senior project.
The girls began the garden the first week of May. Manual labor was the first order of business. With help from other seniors, the girls cleared thick undergrowth from a 23’ by 38’ area, hauled manure and mulch, and planted seeds and seedlings in neat, long rows.
“The hardest part of the project was clearing out all of the weeds and brush to start the garden. And it was raining the whole time!” says Caitlin.
In addition, they are preparing a side of the hill to grow pumpkins and squash. The main garden will produce seven kinds of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, carrots, lettuce and much more.
Award Season is Underway: The Perskys Honor Milton’s Student Writers
Some of Milton’s best student writers gathered with faculty and guests in Cox Library on Monday evening for the Laurence S. Persky Memorial Awards. The annual awards are given for the best work appearing in Milton Academy student publications and honors excellence in creative writing, journalism, art, photography and production.
Guest speaker Cynthia Needham ’95, an editor at the Boston Globe, spoke to the students about the craft of writing and her circuitous route to a career as a reporter. She told a personal story of working for the Manhattan district attorney’s office and how her experience on 9/11 made her turn from a career in law and pursue her passion for writing.
“When I was at Milton, I was afraid to put myself out there. I never wrote for the paper or published any writing,” said Ms. Needham. “I liked to write, but I wasn’t a writer. Bravo to all of you to have the courage to put yourself out there. When you leave here, remember what writing meant to you here. Not just at this moment when you are being honored, but when you are alone in front of the keyboard, late at night. Remember what it meant to you here and make sure you keep doing it.”
Sabbath Loaf and Transit Stop Passers By Alongside Straus
New sculptures that have surprised and intrigued everyone on campus are the works of sculptors from the Class of 1966. Sabbath Loaf, by Murray “Mac” Dewart ’66 and Transit, by Walter Horak ’66 help commemorate Mac’s and Walter’s 45th Reunion this year. You can see both pieces in the green space between Wigg and Straus, just off the pathway, through the end of June. Mac Dewart’s work is represented in several permanent collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the DeCordova, and the Rose Art Museum. His work is also represented at several colleges and universities, including Hamilton College, Harvard University, Saint Anselm College and Smith College. After Milton, Mac graduated from Harvard University and the Massachusetts College of Art. He is a co-founder of the Boston Sculptors Gallery. www.dewartsculpture.com Walter has exhibited throughout the U.S., and has received numerous awards for his art. His work is represented at several galleries across the country, and Walter has included teaching in his sculpting career, including at The Charles River School, Mass College of Art, Storm King School and Milton Academy. After Milton, Walter graduated Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design and University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. www.walterhorak.com
Milton has welcomed the opportunity to show their art in the past, and both men are pleased to share, once again, their vision and expression with faculty, staff and students.
Clay Hutchison ’76 and faculty member Bryan Cheney are Camera Comrades: The Nesto’s Newest Exhibit
The new photography exhibit at Milton’s Nesto Gallery offers two views of the natural world: One view is up close, almost microscopic. The other offers a vast expanse. Camera Comrades Sharing the Adventure of Lens and Light features the work of long-time visual arts faculty member Bryan Cheney and his former student Clay Hutchison ’76.
Bryan’s camera lens dives deep inside flowers from his garden in Maine. All of his work was done outside in natural light, the flowers in their natural state. The resulting photographs reveal the intricacies and brilliant colors of day lilies, peonies and poppies. The photos, taken over a four-year period, convey texture, shape and light.
“The variations of that light in its interplay with our world yield a variety of color, form and pattern that is endless—and to me, a never-ending source of fascination, wonder and joy,” says Bryan.
Physics Olympiad in his future? Brian Kong (I) Earns Coveted Science Spot
After a rigorous exam process, Brian Kong (I) earned one of 20 spots on the 2011 U.S. Physics Team. He will spend the next two weeks in Washington, D.C., at a training camp that immerses students in an intense study of physics. From that group, five students will be selected to travel to the International Physics Olympiad in Bangkok, Thailand, this July.
“The competition for a position on the U.S. Physics Team is intense, and each student who participated in the 2011 selection process is deserving of recognition. They are the future of America’s success in physics related fields,” says Dr. Beth A. Cunningham, executive officer of the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Brian is certainly comfortable in the world of physics. He attended this camp during his Class IV and III year, and took elective physics and math courses at Harvard University and M.I.T. during his time at Milton.
When Zakiya Lewis (I) was in fifth grade she was chosen to speak at her school’s annual fund-raising dinner. Mother Caroline, an independent middle school for girls in Dorchester, offers a quality education for girls whose families have limited financial means. At the time, Zakiya had just ended her first year at Mother Caroline; she graduated as the school’s valedictorian, bound for Milton Academy. Now, at the end of her Milton years, Zakiya was invited to speak again — this time to more than 400 people, including students, staff and donors.
“The theme of the night was ‘Rise’ and I spoke about how Mother Caroline helped me get where I am,” says Zakiya. “I wanted the students to realize the school was just their first step. It was the step that got me to Milton.”
Two Football Athletes Recognized for Academic Achievements
Teammates. Roommates. And now award recipients. Charlie Storey (I) and Ben Ticknor (I) were named Scholar-Athletes by the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the College Football Hall of Fame. Thirty-three Massachusetts student athletes were recognized for their academic achievements at an awards ceremony held on May 9. Their names will be engraved on a plaque that hangs in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.
“As student athlete you are usually recognized for what you do on the field,” says Charlie. “It was great to get this award because it focuses on the ‘student’ part of being a student athlete. It’s nice to be recognized for what we did in classroom.”
Ben agreed that receiving the award was “awesome, because there are not many league or prep school athletic awards that recognize the hard work we put into our classes.”
Paper Cranes and Pennies for Relief Efforts in Japan
After the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Rena Ogura (II) wanted to help the people in her home country. She and Tetsu Higuchi (II) set up collection boxes around campus and began collecting pennies. The idea was based on a popular fundraiser at Rena’s middle school in Japan called, “One Yen Makes A Difference.” Each student would collect yens in a milk carton that would ultimately be donated to local charities.
“At first people at Milton didn’t understand why it was just one penny, but the point was that even small amounts of money can make a big difference and help,” says Rena. “My family was safe in Tokyo, but I felt powerless knowing something awful was going on at home and I wanted to offer support.”
Rena and Tetsu's efforts synched with another movement brought to light by faculty member Paul Archer. This Seattle-based fund raising effort, called studentrebuild.org, was collecting paper cranes to generate donations for Japan relief efforts. For each crane the non-profit received, their foundation donated $2. In Japanese culture, cranes are a symbol of hope and they have become a symbolic way to respond to crisis.
A stiff spring breeze lifted the blue bunting hung over the building sign as Milton Academy dedicated the Pritzker Science Center. Gathered in the sun, students, faculty alumni and parents listened as Head of School Todd Bland and President of the Board Brad Bloom thanked the individuals who helped bring the state-of-the-art facility to fruition. In his introduction, Mr. Bloom noted that it would now be hard to imagine Milton without this new science center.
J.B. Pritzker '82, attending the ceremony with his wife and two young children, let on that he wasn’t the best science student during his Milton years. Former classmates, he thought, might be surprised to see his name on a science building.
“But at the time, this building is what was most needed at Milton Academy. To me, Milton is a school where you can find your place in the world. I am so grateful for my Milton experience. I tried all kinds of classes and activities during my time here and this building extends the opportunity for students to engage in scientific inquiry and to explore.”
Service: Everyone Learns From a Single Gift of Time
Seniors, reflecting on what they've gained from serving during their Milton years, launched the biennial Community Service Day on May 4. Service projects at numerous locations, off campus and on, offered myriad ways to help.
Students sorted and assembled donated toys and school supplies at Cradles to Crayons in Brighton for instance. They helped at residences for the homeless, for the elderly, for people with disabilities at the Massachusetts Hospital School, and for adults with multiple sclerosis at the Boston Home. At elementary schools in Milton and Dorchester, students and faculty rejuvenated an outdoor classroom, served as reading buddies, and conducted science demonstrations. Nearby day care sites allowed for time with small children and for a chance to help with upkeep. Some groups sorted food donations at the Greater Boston Food Bank, or prepared lunch for homeless guests at Pine Street Inn and Father Bill's Shelter. Others were outdoors, set to tasks for the Town of Milton (hospital, parks, cemetery), at the Zoo, Boston Nature Center, and various parks including Pope John Paul II Park. Students pitched in on farm work at Brookwood Farm in the Blue Hills and at Long Island Shelter Farm. Spanish speakers assisted at Mujeres Unidas en Accion. Milton's longtime collaboration with Sidewalk Sam this time included street painting for a Mother's Day Peace Walk in Dorchester.
Sophie Panarese (I) is a fierce tennis player with a strong one-hand backhand. She is also gracious and courteous on the court. Earlier this spring, Sophie received the William Hoblitzelle Award, which is given to the USTA New England girls’ 18-and-under player who best demonstrates a superior blend of sportsmanship and leadership on and off the court.
“The award meant a lot—that people think I’m not mean on the court. You don’t have to be mean to play, which many players find hard to do,” says Sophie.
Sophie first picked up a racket around age six and began playing competitively in the USTA at age 12. In middle school, she quit soccer to focus solely on tennis, because she was drawn to independent competition and the focus on individual accomplishment.
“If I lost, I lost. If I won, I won,” Sophie says.
She is currently ranked fourth as a USTA player in New England and she is excited to take her tennis skills to Georgetown in the fall, where she will compete in the Big East division for the Hoyas.
Science Students Present Experiments At Symposium
Advanced science students showcased their DYO (Design Your Own) experiments at the first annual Science Symposium at the Pritzker Science Center last Friday night. Students presented the results of their month-long experiments to friends, faculty and some family who mingled on Pritzker’s first floor.
Isabelle Lelogeais’ (I) project was titled “The Effect of Angular Cuts or Rate and Progression of Planarian Regeneration.” An Advanced Biology student, Isabelle explained how she cut different sections of the planarian, also known as flatworms, at an angle to see whether they regenerated at the angle of her cut. She found that they did, and was happy to have data that supported her hypothesis.
Two groups of students presented their projections of antigravity experiments on the bobtail squid, which have been breeding in one of the science labs since the winter. During spring break, these students traveled to Florida with science faculty Ned Bean. Together they worked in a lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville with a professor who specializes in studying the unique squid. The students assisted on an experiment that is ready to launch on the final mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavor later this week.
This weekend, Milton presented two Spring Concert events in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. On Friday, April 29, the first concert featured the music of Milton's chamber singers and Glee Club. The chamber singers performed the works of Salomone Rossi, Antonio Lotti, Sergei Rachmaninoff and John Rutter, and the Glee Club took on songs by Robert Schumann, Mozart, Gabriel Faure and Harry Chapin.
On Sunday, May 1, the orchestra and chamber orchestra took the stage in King Theatre for the annual Spring Orchestra Concert. These groups featured the works of Bach, Grieg, Chopin, Mussorgsky, Paul Whear, Ferde Grofe and Giuseppi Verdi. This concert was dedicated to Jean McCawley, long-time member of Milton's music department. [View chamber singers performance]
An Interest Taking Flight: Matt Chen (II) Published in Airways Magazine
In third grade, Matt Chen (II) was in a bookstore with his family when he spied the cover of Airways magazine, an international trade publication focused on commercial flight. He took the issue home, and Matt’s fascination with aviation was launched. In addition to extensive reading, he collected die-cast plane models and spent countless hours on an online flight simulator.
Today, Matt is a published writer in the same magazine that fueled his interest. Since November 2010, he has written three featured articles that constitute a series on the airline industry in China, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Matt has lived in all three places, speaks Mandarin fluently, and understands some Taiwanese and Cantonese.
“One day last spring, my friends and I were sitting on the quad and we saw a plane fly over. They knew of my interest and we started talking about planes—they encouraged me to share my knowledge.”
The trick to improvising Shakespeare? Learn your “thees” and “thous,” let the metaphors and similes fly, and try not to think too hard. It’s not “you look great,” it’s “thou lookest as fine as a red rose in bloom!”
Members of the Improvised Shakespeare Company (ISC), based in Chicago, spent a week on campus performing and conducting workshops with students as part of the Melissa Dilworth Gold Visiting Artist series.
Three members of ISC—Joey Bland, Ross Bryant and Steve Waltien—spent four days with Drama and Improv classes, teaching improvisation techniques and running the students through exercises with names like “Gauntlet of Overreaction.”
“When you improvise, you give up control,” Joey told students. “No one person is directing the moment, so you have to be prepared for that. The key is to stop trying to be funny because it isn’t funny when it looks like you’re trying too hard. You just need to go with the realness of the moment.”
The new Pritzker Science Center is awe-inspiring for many reasons: the seamless transition it provides between classroom and lab space; the glass interior and exterior walls, which allow students, teachers and passers-by to “see” the science learning that’s taking place; and the fact that it was designed to meet silver LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
In honor of Earth Day, Andy Jonic, project architect for the Pritzker Science Center, spoke to students about sustainable architecture at an assembly hosted by LORAX. Named for the Dr. Seuss character that “speaks for the trees,” LORAX is a student group established in 1987 that raises awareness of the environment and our responsibility as stewards.
“This is an exciting time in architecture because of the technological revolution that’s happening right now,” says Mr. Jonic, who works for William Rawn Associates in Boston. He outlined for students four goals of sustainable architecture: to have longevity, to foster community, to preserve or create open space, and to use energy and resources efficiently. He showed photographs of local and international buildings and spaces that represent these goals.
Students Recognized in National Writing Award Competition
Three Milton students earned recognition for their writing in this year’s prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards—the country’s oldest awards program for creative teenagers. While over 185,000 students submitted work for consideration, only 2,700 were selected for Silver and Gold Medals. Sarah Costello (I) earned a Gold Medal in Poetry for a collection of her poems. The collection includes pieces that Sarah has written from her Class III year up through now. She looks forward to attending the awards ceremony with her parents. Tina Cho (II) won a Gold Medal in the Short Short Story category for her work titled “Delivery Failure.” She wrote the piece for her Creative Writing class last year, but continued to edit and refine it. “I am excited to win a medal for what is my most favorite story that I’ve written so far at Milton,” Tina says. Hannah Grace (II) won a Silver Medal in Poetry for a group of four poems she submitted. Her favorite, “Penelope,” is a poem about a present-day woman whose soldier husband dies at war. The piece ties back to Homer’s character Penelope, wife of Odysseus. “It is quite an honor to be recognized in such a prestigious contest. It’s encouraged me to keep writing and working hard at it,” says Hannah. High school students from across the country submitted samples of their poetry, humor, journalism, novel writing and science fiction, as well as creative works from several visual art media. Panels of renowned artists, authors, educators and art professionals judged the students’ submissions on their originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice. Sarah, Tina, Hannah, and their fellow student-artist honorees will be celebrated in a ceremony hosted by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers at Carnegie Hall in May.
Illustrator Clara Richardson ’71 Shows Students Another Side of Science
“All scientific illustration is a collaboration between artists and scientists,” says Clara Richardson, science illustrator and member of Milton’s Class of 1971. “The drawing is built under the direction of the scientist in order to support or elaborate on the point in question.”
On campus this week for the opening of her exhibit “Illustrating for Science” at the Nesto Gallery, Clara spent Tuesday afternoon with biology students discussing her work and teaching illustration techniques. She worked closely with Advanced Biology students as they drew pictures for their DYO (Design Your Own) experiments. She explained that scientific illustration is a two-step process: “I always have to draw it twice. Once to learn and then again to communicate what I’ve learned.”
Clara showed students how to focus on the outside shape of the subject before attempting to draw the interior details and how to pay attention to the light source. She spent time with each student as they sketched their specimens of zebra fish, alfalfa seeds, flat worms and pea plants.
Selected For Elite Woods Hole Program, Michael Edgar Will Bring New Knowledge From The Experience Back to His Classroom
Michael Edgar of the science faculty is one of 24 high school biology teachers nationwide chosen to participate in a three-day workshop with leading research scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
During a three-day session, teachers learn to work with Wolbachia, a widespread bacterium that lives in roughly 20 percent of the world’s insects. “I’m looking forward to this because I’ve never worked with this particular strain of bacteria before, and I also haven’t done much work with insects,” Michael says. “I’m excited to learn something new—the application of molecular biology used in extracting the Wolbachia DNA.”
“We need to remember the way real life works.” Journalist Ellen Goodman Speaks With Students
“Life is not a straight line; you will continually be changing while you prepare yourself at the same time,” Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman told students on March 30 while reflecting on her journalism career and life lessons learned.
“We need to remember the way real life works. You make plans, you have accidents; you move straight ahead, you take a detour; you screw up, you recover; you try hard, you get lucky; you carefully make a five-year plan, you succeed because you improvise. You keep proposing and recomposing your own life.”
Ms. Goodman was the Margo Johnson lecturer at Wednesday’s assembly in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center. The Margo Johnson Lecture, named for the head mistress of Milton Academy’s Girls’ School from 1941 to 1982, brings accomplished women to Milton’s campus.
Living What She Teaches: Faculty Member Performs on the Boston Stage
Patrice Jean-Baptiste—performing arts faculty member—is performing this month in a production of Broke-ology, presented by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston. Set in Kansas City, Broke-ology is the story of a loving, working-class African-American family and the struggles they face over three decades. A recent Boston Globe review states that the “production of Nathan Louis Jackson’s unabashedly sentimental play hits home.”
Patrice plays Sonia, the wife of William, who has big dreams for her two young sons and moving upward in life. Patrice claims a strong connection with her character: “She’s amazing. She is the universal woman who holds it down at home. She sticks with her husband through joblessness and poverty. She faces the challenges of having a family while also feeling stuck and suppressing the artist that is inside her. I have a lot of great respect and admiration for her.”
Jewish Student Union Hosts Brandeis University President
Milton’s Jewish Student Union invited Frederick M. Lawrence, president of Brandeis University, to speak with students. Mr. Lawrence is one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights, free expression and bias crimes. He discussed issues of belonging and identity with Class I, II and III students at Wednesday’s assembly in Wigg Hall. Mr. Lawrence, a Milton parent ('02 and '05), recently took office as the eighth president of the large research university with the “atmosphere of a small liberal arts college.” He discussed the unique history of Brandeis, which was established in 1948 in response to a time when many colleges and universities discriminated on the basis of sex, race and religion.
The boys’ varsity hockey team beat Kent School 2-1 in an intense, well-played game to win the NEPSAC Boys’ Hockey Championship in Salem, New Hampshire, on Sunday. After a tight, scoreless first period, defensemen Jake Turrin (I) scored 1:47 into the second period. A little over a minute later, Kent tied the game up. Stellar goaltending by Sean Dougherty (I) kept Kent at bay for the remainder of the game. The winning goal came four minutes into the third period when T.J. Schneider (I) took a slapshot that bounced to the left of the goal; Sean Okita (I) was there to grab the puck, shoot and score. “It was unbelievable,” says team captain Patrick McNally (I). “It was the best experience of my life, and I couldn’t have done it with a better group of guys. They are all my best friends and we really enjoyed the moment.”
Ophelia. Juliet. Lady Macbeth. Actor and director Tina Packer brings her intimate knowledge of these and other female characters from Shakespeare’s oeuvre to campus this week as the Melissa Dilworth Gold Visiting Artist. Ms. Packer, the founding artistic director of Shakespeare & Company based in Lenox, Massachusetts, arrives March 7 and meets with faculty and school staff, having dinner with Head of School Todd Bland. On March 8, Ms. Packer will conduct workshops with Grade 6 and Class IV students. Throughout her four-day visit, she will work with individual drama classes, and on Wednesday evening, Ms. Packer will present Women of Will—her performance that includes a range of Shakespeare’s female roles. This groundbreaking exploration of Shakespeare’s canon is a combination of performance, discussion, and a bit of crowd participation. It is a summation of Ms. Packer’s more than 30 years of deep investigation into all things Shakespeare. Local Milton residents, senior citizen groups, and residents of Brookview House are invited to attend the performance. An informal reception will follow in Pieh Commons in the Kellner Performing Arts Center.
Winter Dance Concert is the Hottest Ticket in Town
Ushering in spring with its energetic performances, colorful costumes and lively music, the Winter Dance Concert is one of the most popular performances on campus each year. Student choreographers begin work mid-autumn: preparing dance pieces, submitting proposals to director and dance teacher Kelli Edwards, auditioning and choosing dancers. This year’s concert included a mix of modern dance, hip-hop, ballet, tap and step. Some highlights included an African dance and a piece by Kelli Edwards that had 26 dancers, including eight faculty and staff members. (The adult performers were Jeanne Jacobs, Laura Cannata, Andrea Geyling, Leah Jones, Tracy Crews, Tonysha Taylor, Rhianne Crowley and Katie Williams.) One dance also incorporated a real-time, live feed of the performance projected behind the dancers as they moved on stage.
Mustangs Dominate on the Ice and on the Court
Fans of Milton’s varsity boys’ basketball and hockey raised the roof last night as both teams won their respective first-round tournament games at the Athletic and Convocation Center. It was a rare and special night with two post-season games that began at different times so fans could attend both competitions. In the end, some fans had to run back and forth to catch the action as both games finished almost simultaneously.
Boys’ hockey was an exciting nail biter that went into triple overtime as Milton beat Nobles 4-3 in the quarterfinals of the NEPSAC’s Stuart/Corkery Division tournament. Dan Merenich (I) scored the winning goal with an assist from Woody Hudson (I). Goalie Sean Dougherty (I) made 46 saves for the Mustangs.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” says Coach Paul Cannata. “We had to bring our best to the game. We knew they would bring their best. It was a lot of fun. For the boys to play the way they did in that kind of pressure-cooker environment, it showed the positive side of athletics.”
“Both teams just played beautifully,” says Head of School Todd Bland. “They played hard, fair, fast, and clearly the players were giving everything they had out there. And I commend Nobles for playing a superb game from start to finish.”
Poet Mark Doty’s expressive voice transported his Class I and II student audience from an early morning reading in King Theatre to a dimly lit space underground in the Village. His autobiographical poems invoked snippets of everyday life—a rural encounter with a goat, a city bus ride, a waiting room in a tattoo parlor. My Tattoo I thought I wanted to wear the Sacred Heart, to represent education through suffering, how we're pierced to flame. But when I cruised the inkshop's dragons, cobalt tigers and eagles in billowy smokes, my allegiance wavered. … English faculty member Lisa Baker introduced Mr. Doty, this spring’s Bingham Visiting Reader, as a “serious force in American poetry.” He introduced each poem with anecdotes that were both humorous and poignant. The poems themselves invoked powerful images and emotions.
Berman Brothers Find Success on the Mat and on the Wall
For Josh (I) and Daniel (IV) Berman, mastering specific physical movements is crucial to achieving success in their respective sports—wrestling and climbing.
Two weeks ago, Josh placed third in the New England Prep Wrestling Championships. It was a hard fought tournament, where he won five of six matches against tough competition.
“I was very pleased with placing third in New England as a third-year wrestler and competing alongside the best,” says Josh.
Do you want to laugh or cry? Wonder of the World will help you do both. Richly comic, built on universal themes, as contemporary as today, Wonder of the World is theatre at its best. Milton actors and tech experts render a production that will engage the audience. You’ll feel as though you know the characters and that you share their absurdity as well as their human foibles. The 1212 Milton Players are presenting Pulitzer-prize winner playwright and Milton alumnus (’88) David Lindsay-Abaire’s Wonder of the World this week. This dark comedy is about a woman in crisis who leaves her marriage and embarks on a journey of self-discovery to Niagara Falls, meeting up with wacky personalities and situations along the way.
Congressional Debate, known as “Congress” at Milton, is a particular style of competition: Students write and submit “legislation” and then, acting as U.S. Congress people, present their bills in three-minute speeches. Two hardy Milton students — of the more than 60 members of the Milton Speech Team — choose to compete in “Congress.” Class II student Martin Page is one of those two; he has been a team member since his Class IV year. “I’ve always been interested in current events, and I joined the team because I thought it would really fit my interests. You either love or hate the Congress style. It’s definitely one of the ‘nerdier’ events.” Martin says although he enjoys preparing and presenting the speech, his favorite part of competition is what follows: the arguments. This past weekend, Martin competed in the 37th annual National High School Invitational Forensics Tournament at Harvard University. Competitions are rigorous and could be exhausting for anyone but the truly committed. After a total of 17 hours of debating over three days, Martin finished 15th out of 385 students.
"What is Your Vision for the World?" Russell Weatherspoon Asked Students at the Onyx Assembly
An eloquent Russell D. Weatherspoon, dean of residential life and religion teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy, encouraged Milton students to draw on the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. as they contemplate their futures. Mr. Weatherspoon was the Martin Luther King speaker; his original presentation had been postponed due to one of this winter’s severe storms. Mr. Weatherspoon spoke to Classes I-IV at the Onyx Assembly in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center.
“Think of yourself in 30 or 40 years. Who do you want to be when you get there? What do you want the world to look like when you get there? What are you planning to do to make things happen? Things don’t happen because we think about them. They happen because people join forces to make them happen. What are you going to get engaged in and who are you going to join forces with?”
Mr. Weatherspoon recalled his early years growing up in New York City in the ‘50s and how MLK represented a black southern community that seemed unrelated to the world of New York.
Onyx and the Caribbean Student Association are hosting a range of fun, educational, diverse—and often delicious—events all over campus in celebration of Black History Month. Kicking off the month’s events, the Christian Fellowship and Gospel Choir presented the favorite Gospel Explosion concert on February 4, filling Thacher Hall with moving and soulful music and performances.
Russell Weatherspoon, dean of residential life and religion teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy, spoke today with students during assembly about Martin Luther King’s legacy and the charge of the next generation.
To celebrate the rich culture of Haiti, the Caribbean Student Association will show a historical documentary of the island country on February 17 and 24. The students will serve traditional Haitian snacks during the film.
On Sunday, February 6, Yoshi Makishima (I) placed second honors at the 2011 Shakespeare Competition for High School Students, hosted by the Boston chapter of the English-Speaking Union of the United States. Twenty-seven public, private and parochial schools from around Massachusetts competed in the contest. Each participating student performed a monologue from one of Shakespeare's plays and recited one of his sonnets. Finalists were required to perform a "cold reading'' of a monologue selected by the English-Speaking Union (ESU). The English-Speaking Union sponsors educational programs for students and teachers, as well as lectures and social events. For more information about the ESU or the Shakespeare Competition, visit www.esuus.org.
Milton Musicians Selected for All-State
Karen Li (II) and Tiffany Nguyen (II) have been selected to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Festival. The two musicians will perform in Boston’s historical Symphony Hall as part of the MMEA All-State Concert ensembles. The selection process began with an audition for the Eastern District MMEA Music Festival at Boston Latin. At the district concert event, the top performers were chosen to be a part of the All-State Festival. Karen will perform violin in the All-State orchestra and Tiffany will sing alto in the All-State chorus.
“This is a real honor,” said music department chair Don Dregalla. “These two students were selected from some of the best high school students in the Commonwealth.”
For tickets and concert information, visit the MMEA Web site at mmeaonline.org.
Diane Pierce-Williams is Milton Academy’s Archivist
Milton Academy's archive is a valuable treasury of historical documents, publications, photographs and memorabilia that track our long School history. Diane Pierce-Williams, of the library staff, will now serve Milton as our archivist. Diane's background in library and information science has made her a valuable assistant at Cox Library since 2002. Among her scholarly pursuits and achievements, Diane has studied archiving, and is well-prepared and enthusiastic about establishing systematic and appropriate collecting and organizing of the data that supports Milton's history.
Mr. Barclay Feather, of the history department faculty, was Milton's most recent archivist. Mr. Feather established the Academy archive, in a formal sense, in his retirement, and cared for the archive until his death in 2009.
Over the last few months, in her new role, Diane has already begun organizing and expanding the collection of student work, publications, photographs and recordings that constitute the documentary record of our School's treasured past.
Milton's archive is located in the basement of Cox Library, and it is open on weekday mornings from 8:30–10:30 a.m. and at other times by appointment. Diane continues her librarian's role at Cox, while committing time to the archives each week. She welcomes all visitors enthusiastically.
Students Kick-off Green Cup Challenge
Over the next four weeks, student leaders will be reading meters across campus and reporting Milton’s energy usage on a weekly basis as part of the 2011 Green Cup Challenge. This student-driven, energy-saving enterprise encourages students—and teachers—to work collectively to achieve an aggregated electrical energy reduction of at least 7 percent at their school. The Challenge empowers students and stresses the importance of teamwork, while raising awareness about climate change and the importance of resource conservation.
“This project can be meaningful, and have lasting effects,” says faculty member James Mills, who is sponsoring this student-led endeavor.
The campus buildings that will count toward this Challenge include all eight residential houses, Wigglesworth Hall, Warren Hall, and the Student Center. Head monitors Kasey Caine and Robert Bedetti will read the buildings’ energy meters and submit the data to the Green Cup Challenge Web site.
Jazz Musician Aaron Goldberg ’91 Playing at New York’s Village Vanguard
Jazz pianist Aaron Goldberg ’91 and his trio are performing at the renowned Village Vanguard in New York City on February 1 through 6. Aaron studied classical piano as a child, and at Milton, music teacher Bob Sinicrope turned him on to jazz.
“Bob Sinicrope is the reason that I play jazz music,” says Aaron, “in that he introduced me to the richness of the art form, and also gave me my initial skill set and the musical values that allowed me to become a professional touring musician.”
This is the first time Aaron and his trio are headlining at the Vanguard. He has performed there numerous times as a sideman with other musicians, such as jazz orchestra leader Joshua Redman.
Aaron says he and his trio will play a mixture of music from his new album, Home, and his next album—a collaborative project with Argentinean composer/arranger Guillermo Klein—as well as some brand new material and a sampling from a previous album, Worlds.
On Wednesday, February 2 at 9 p.m., NPR will Web cast the group’s Vanguard performance. You can listen by going to this link and clicking the “play” button when the page goes live. If you listen early, you’ll hear an interview with Aaron.
Lamar Reddicks Appointed Athletic Director
Lamar Reddicks, who joined the faculty in 2008, will be Milton's next director of athletics and physical education in the Upper School. Lamar has been the assistant athletic director and head coach of the boys' varsity basketball team, and his roots in the town of Milton run deep. A member of Milton High School's 1996 state championship basketball team, Lamar was inducted into Milton High School's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. After captaining the men's basketball team at Bentley College, Lamar spent eight years coaching at the collegiate level, working with Harvard's and Boston University's men's teams.
Aware of the power of good coaching on students' growth as athletes and individuals, Lamar motivates young people and the adults who work with them. As an advisor, teacher, and coach, he sets high expectations, builds students' confidence, and instills the value of good character, all essential for excellence in interscholastic athletics and physical education. With an appreciation for Milton Academy's culture, Lamar also encourages students as scholars and artists, exhorting them to contribute to the broader community.
Faculty Member Vivian Wu Wong Writes About “Getting It Right” For Her Students
Vivian Wu Wong, chair of the history and social sciences department, authored the feature article in the recent issue of Independent School magazine, published by the National Association of Independent Schools. The winter 2011 issue, titled "The Myth of the Model Minority," discusses the history and experiences of Asian and Asian-American students in America; how the label "model minority" can be perilous for students; and how we must eradicate the stereotypes and racism that underwrite social inequity. Vivian's article is titled "Getting It Right: Schools and the Asian-American Experience."
Vivian has been a member of the Milton faculty since 1992. She is the faculty sponsor for the Asian Society, a student cultural group on campus.
When you walk into the Pritzker Science Center these days, the first lab on your right features a large, seemingly empty, water tank. But burrowed underneath the gravel are a dozen Hawaiian bobtail squid that come out at night to eat and mate. These squid are serving as important ground-based testing for an experiment that will send some of their fellow squid up into the cosmos on the space shuttle Endeavor sometime this spring. This space shuttle flight will be the final one before NASA closes the program.
A group of Milton students are working hard with science faculty member, Ned Bean, to maintain the exact living conditions these squid need to survive. The squid’s normal habitat is the shallow waters around the Hawaiian Islands. Every night, a student or faculty member feeds the two-inch long squid their diet of fresh common shore shrimp. The first big accomplishment occurred when the female squid laid eggs. These baby squid are now in a separate nursery tank. Ned and the students will conduct experiments on the next round of eggs.
Former Mustangs Face-off Milton Alumni on both sides of a Yale versus Holy Cross contest
Mike Matczak '07 and Brandon Nunn '07—who co-captained Milton's hockey team in their senior year—recently played on opposite sides of Yale's Ingalls Rink in New Haven, Connecticut.
Mike is a senior at Yale—the nation's top-ranked men's college hockey team for a sixth straight week—and Brandon is a sophomore at Holy Cross. In the match-up, Yale emerged victorious with a final score of 10–3. Both Mike and Brandon scored a goal for their respective teams.
Tom Tysowsky, Milton's goalie from the Class of 2009, also appeared in the game on the Crusaders' side.
Milton's varsity defenseman Robby O'Gara '12 has just committed to playing for Yale after graduation. He is the first Milton player to wear Mike Matczak's #15 since Mike graduated. Two years from now he may follow in Mike's footsteps, wearing jersey #15 for the Bulldogs.
Dan Muse, one of Yale's assistant coaches, is also familiar with Milton's rink; Dan was an assistant coach for the Mustangs for two years prior to moving onto college coaching at Williams and now at Yale.
Photos courtesy of Sam Rubin, Yale '95 and the Holy Cross Web site.
“Racial Assignments” are Powerful, According to Professor Jean Wu
Tufts University professor and diversity leader Jean Yu-Wen Shen Wu was the featured Hong Kong Distinguished Lecturer in King Theatre. Dr. Wu, whose work focuses on both race in America and Asian American studies, shared her thoughts with Class I and II students on how the differences of our race define the overall quality of our lives. Dr. Wu introduced the term “racial assignment,” which is how others often define a person they see walking down “Main Street.” It’s something that can’t be controlled; often times, it is not the assignment a person wants. “You may not agree with it, but that assignment has a reality,” said Dr. Wu. “It’s very important and it has impact on how we’re perceived, how we’re responded to, and how we’re treated. It has everything to do with our daily life experience. To be black in America is very different from being white in America. To be Asian in America is very different from being Latino in America.” Dr. Wu used humor and seriousness throughout her talk as she pointed out common stereotypes and historical missteps in the treatment of Asian Americans. She also stressed many people believe race doesn’t matter so much in today’s society, citing the fact we have a president with a multi-racial background. But according to Dr. Wu, this is a “race-blind view.”
Lighting Designer Zachary Moore ’08 Revisits Milton to Reveal What is Dancing Behind My Eyelids
Alumnus Zachary Moore returns to Milton’s King Theatre to light up the stage for an original dance theater piece, Dancing Behind My Eyelids. Moore, who demonstrated his backstage production talent early as a student at Milton, now comes full-circle as lighting designer for this traveling performance. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Dancing Behind My Eyelids contains influences from Icelandic electronica, acid rock, re-imagined Latin choral chants, as well as recording artists Mum, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Alexander Balanescu and Karin Tatoyan. Directed by Samantha Shay and choreographed by Chelsea Didier, the performance incorporates ballet, modern dance, monkey Kung Fu, Capoeira, acrobatics, French mime and contact improv. King Theatre's curtains open at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 8. [View Dancing Behind My Eyelids trailer]
The Mustangs Win 2010 Holiday Basketball Tournament Milton's boys' varsity basketball team earned first place in the holiday tournament held over the weekend at St. Sebastian’s School. This is the second year in a row the Mustangs have won the tournament. “This was by far the most impressive victory I've seen as the basketball coach here at Milton,” said Head Coach Lamar Reddicks. “I couldn't be any happier with or prouder of our boys. They played extremely hard in all three games.” The Mustangs clinched the top spot at the two-day tournament with an outstanding win (71-49) against a strong Kent School squad.
Milton Finds Success on the Ice in Annual Holiday Tournaments Milton's boys' and girls' varsity hockey teams both placed in the weekend's holiday tournament. The boys' team placed third in the 46th Annual Flood-Marr Tournament with an undefeated weekend, outscoring Andover, Hotchkiss and Nobles. Defenseman Pat McNally (I) and forward Dan Merenich (I) earned spots on the 2010 all-tournament team.
The Flood-Marr tournament began in 1965 and is named after long-time Milton coach Dick Marr and former Nobles coach Richard Flood. The three-day tournament, featuring the best teams in prep school hockey, draws a crowd, not only of family and friends, but also of college scouts looking for recruits. Milton has won the title five times since the tournament's inception.
The girls' team took third place this weekend in the 12th Annual Westminster Invitational Tournament, hosted by the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut. The girls competed against top-ranked New England teams such as Governor's Academy, Kimball Union and Northfield Mount Hermon.
Class I student publishes poem
Henry Russell’s (I) poem titled “Ode to Pheidippedes” will be published in the upcoming issue of Aethlon: The Journal of Sport Literature. Henry says he was inspired by Ron Smith’s poem, “Running Again in Hollywood Cemetery.” Captain of Milton’s cross-country team, Henry read this poem almost every day and eventually memorized it. Henry spent months writing his own narrative poem, which is a reflection of events and relationships in his life. While Henry is pleased his work will be published, the poem was also an important personal accomplishment.
Senior Artists Reveal Their Philosophies
Anne Neely’s Advanced Independent 2-D class hosted a reception for the opening of their exhibit, Senior Philosophies, on Wednesday, December 15 in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. As if needed, art students added incentive to attend the gala event by offering cookies and hot chocolate to all that joined them.Projects from the class will be on display on the second floor of Pieh Commons. [View exhibit poster]
Alumna and Harvard Senior, Kenzie Bok ’07, Wins Prestigious Marshall Scholarship
Kenzie Bok '07, a Harvard University senior concentrating in history, was named one of this year's Marshall Scholars, an honor earned by only 31 students across the country. The scholarship will allow her to study for two years at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, where she plans to complete an M.Phil in intellectual history and political thought.
Photograph by Stephanie Mitchell, Harvard Staff Photographer
Class I Dedicated Runner Profiled in the Boston Globe
A story about cross-country star Henry Russell in Sunday’s Boston Globe highlights Henry’s transition from hockey player to runner, his achievements on Milton Academy’s cross-country and track and field teams, and his future college and running plans.
Two Milton Writers are National YoungArts Finalists
Nicolette Gendron and Chinenye Ikoro, both Class I, will represent Milton Academy as finalists in YoungArts Week 2011. They were chosen from among 6,000 applicants in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts to participate in the unique, weeklong event that will take place in Miami in January.
Nicolette won for her nonfiction piece “Can you teach me to dance real slow?” She also submitted in the short story and poetry categories. Chinenye won for two of her short stories, titled "Ash Wednesday" and "Owls."
Both young writers say they draw from their own experiences when crafting their stories.
Is history repeating itself? Professor Jackson Lears addressed the question.
Rutgers Professor Jackson Lears’ presentation was titled: “Two Gilded Ages: Is History Repeating Itself?” Milton’s seventh Henry R. Heyburn lecturer, Dr. Lears answered that familiar question with a resounding, “No, but... “
“Every historian I know has a big but,” Dr. Lears said, which drew laughs from the audience of Class I and II students in King Theatre. “Even if history doesn’t repeat itself, there are important connections between the past and the present.”
Professor Lears said he preferred Mark Twain’s take: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” He then used this adage to develop the similarities and differences of the period between the Civil War and World War I, which he called the “age of regeneration,” to the United States a century later.
Baker Heidi Videto spent many early hours baking 221 all-butter crust, pumpkin pies from scratch. She can look to Andrea Donofrio, executive chef for FLIK, for that extra challenge. Andrea wanted to recognize and help her many Haitian colleagues on the dining staff. With FLIK’s support, Andrea launched a holiday pie sale. Proceeds from the sale will provide much-needed medical supplies for their homeland, still struggling from the effects of last winter’s earthquake. The dining team donated a portion of their staff appreciation funds toward buying the ingredients, and the Milton community responded. Individuals donated 68 of these pies to local food banks, which faculty member Dar Anastas delivered in time for Thanksgiving. The $2,210 raised will go entirely toward life-saving medical supplies for the people of Haiti.
Oxfam Banquet Raises Funds and Awareness
In recognition of world hunger, the Community Service Board hosted the annual Oxfam Hunger Banquet in Forbes Dining Hall on Tuesday, November 16. At the banquet, students and faculty drew lottery tickets from a bucket that assigned them to either a high-, middle- or low-income tier. The number of tickets for each income level was based on the latest statistics about the number of people living in poverty. The ticket that each student or faculty received would indicate whether they would eat a regular meal, rice and gravy, or just a bowl of rice. The goal of the event was not only to raise awareness, but also, with money saved by not preparing the normal meals that day, raise funds for the Oxfam organization. In addition to Tuesday’s event, 103 students pledged to eat lunches of only rice for the duration of the week. Wearing green Oxfam wristbands, participants vow to eat mindfully and carry on the Oxfam Banquet’s mission to spread a “greater understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty.”
(It’s Not) Just Another High School Play
This year’s Class IV Play, Just Another High School Play by Bryan Starchman, presents a group of high school actors who have been abandoned by their drama teacher. The students find a box of scripts to work from and then have to fend for themselves in front of an impatient audience on opening night. Director Pam McArdle says that this year’s Class IV Play is full of fun surprises and physical comedy, and it samples the drama of playwrights from Albee to Shakespeare. A long-standing tradition at Milton, the Class IV Play is a momentous and memorable class event. Nineteen Class IV students are involved in this year’s cast, and those who are not on stage are contributing behind the scenes, acting as ushers, or joining the audience in support of their classmates. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 18 and Friday, November 19, and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 20. Tickets are on sale this week during lunch periods in Forbes Dining Hall. For more information, contact Darlene Anastas at Darlene_Anastas@milton.edu.
Captain Matthew Pottinger ’91 Entreats Students Toward a Life of Service as the 2010 Veterans’ Day Speaker
Standing sharp in his Marine Corps dress blues, Captain Matt Pottinger, Milton Academy Class of 1991, spoke to students about choosing a life of public service at the Veterans’ Day Assembly in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center. Matt engaged the crowd with stories from his “eclectic” career path, but most important was his message to students to think about how they can serve, not necessarily in the military, but in a role that serves the public. He encouraged students to pursue an endeavor that “forces you out of the bubble of privilege.” “Do things that are difficult, things that are uncomfortable, and things that are, sometimes, humiliating, and you will be rewarded in enormous ways—ways that make you more effective in whatever form of public service I hope many of you end up undertaking,” Matt said.
Spirit looks like a riot of blue and orange and sounds very loud. The 2010 Spirit Rally, leading into the Milton-Nobles games, had something for everyone: a costume relay race, a performance by the step team, and a spotlight on each of Milton's teams and players. Scott Murphy (cross country), Nik Powers (football) and Henry Russell (cross country) emceed a lively event, and Mr. Bland wrapped things up with a promise of Milton hats for all.
The Milton/Nobles Alumni Challenge: A New Twist to the Legendary Competition
Calling all alumni from the Class of 1997 through the Class of 2010 Your Milton Mustangs will take on the Nobles teams this weekend. The Milton alumni team can bring Milton a victory off the field, as well. Young alumni of both schools are competing for the highest number of gifts to the respective Annual Funds by game day. If you're a graduate from 1997 to 2010, you can make a game-changing play once again.
Make your gift to the Annual Fund before midnight on Saturday, November 13, to help secure Milton’s victory in this giving challenge. Click here to see the score so far and make your important gift today to put Milton on top. Cheer on your team as they take on the Noble and Greenough Bulldogs on Saturday, November 13 at 1 p.m. on Burr Field in Dedham. Go Mustangs!
“Nothing in fiction writing is an accident.” Around the Harkness Table, Probing Roth’s Novel
Class I students in Nicole Colson’s English elective, Woman, Man and Their Fictions, have finished reading Philip Roth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel American Pastoral. On a Tuesday morning, they settle in around the Harkness table in Nicole’s classroom, dog-eared copies of the paperback in hand, as their teacher greets them and briefly shares some information about an upcoming assignment and mid-semester grades. Housekeeping agenda items out of the way, Nicole asks of no one in particular, “We can go anywhere in the book now, so where would you like to start?” Pages start to turn, and students chime in: “We didn’t talk about the dinner party yet.” “Yeah, I think we should talk about the conversation they had at the table.” “And Lou’s rant—that was important.” Nicole turns to page 344 and reads an excerpt. Once the scene is set, she encourages, “Now talk to me about that opening discussion.”
Over 100 Years of Great Rivalry: Milton and Nobles Students Prepare for a Spirited Weekend
The long-standing and celebrated rivalry between Milton and its neighbor, Noble and Greenough School, will once again bring the schools’ athletes and fans together for the favorite Milton/Nobles weekend. In a historic first, heads of school shared messages focused on the depth and meaning of a rivalry central to both schools’ identities. At Monday morning’s assembly, Head of School Todd Bland read a message from Nobles Head of School Bob Henderson to Milton students, while Mr. Henderson shared Todd’s words with Nobles students. Both sides look forward to a fun-filled weekend of good spirit and healthy competition. Be sure to check the online calendar for the weekend’s game schedule.
Writer Amy Hempel is this Fall’s Bingham Visiting Reader
“The year I began to say vahz instead of vase, a man I barely knew nearly accidentally killed me.” This opening line of Amy Hempel’s story “The Harvest” is indicative of her award-winning writing: “destabilizing… and at once funny and devastating,” describes faculty member Lisa Baker. On November 3, students heard Ms. Hempel read from her body of work as this fall’s Bingham Visiting Reader. Known for her fiction and non-fiction, Ms. Hempel’s stories have appeared in Vanity Fair, Harper’s, Yale Review and the Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Since publishing her first collection of stories, Reason to Live, she has won several prestigious literary awards, including the Hobson Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
A Condition of One’s Making, an exhibition by New York-based conceptual artist Wade Aaron, opened at Milton's Nesto Gallery on Tuesday, November 2 and will continue through December 11. “This show encompasses three project installations that deal with and challenge our notions of perception,” says visual arts faculty member Anne Neely. “Aaron explores the question of how we hold the distillations of our own experiences over time.” Among the work on display will be Aaron’s “No Sol,” a new piececreated specifically for the Nestoand named after Sol LeWitt’s lattice sculptures from 1977. The Gallery is located on the lower level of the Old Science Building and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sydney Sykes ’12 Represents Boston and the United States in the Twelfth World Conference of Historical Cities
Sydney Sykes, Class II, has long been interested in architecture, her heritage, and cultural sharing. This month she indulged all three passions in Nara, Japan, at a conference that gathered representatives from the some of the oldest and most historically rich cities around the world. Sydney was a Youth Forum member of the Twelfth World Conference of Historical Cities. The conference is organized by the League of Historical Cities whose mission is to promote world peace through communication and cultural sharing. Boston is the only U.S. city of the 86 in the league, and Sydney was the sole youth representative from North America chosen to attend this year’s conference. The theme of the conference was “Succession of Historical Cities with Creative Revitalization.” As part of her application, Sydney submitted an abstract outlining a presentation on that topic, in relation to her home city. (Read a compressed version of Sydney’s winning presentation titled Boston: Bikes, Boats and Broadway.) She proposed creative new ways in which to view cities and attract visitors. Her main thesis was that to celebrate and share the historical and cultural landmarks of our city, we have to first bring people here.
This week, Milton's student actors, stage managers, set designers and theater techs—under the direction of performing arts faculty member, Shane Fuller—will delight audiences with the first mainstage production of the year. The Visit, a tragicomedy by the Swiss playwright Friedrich Durrenmatt, opens in King Theatre on Thursday, November 4. The story begins when Claire, a wealthy older woman, returns to her hometown to find it in economic despair. While the townspeople hope her financial generosity will save them, Claire has other plans, bent on revenge. A macabre and entertaining parable, The Visit delves into questions of honor, loyalty, community, and the idea that money can corrupt even the strongest moral fiber. Curtains open for Thursday’s show at 7:30 p.m. Performances are also schedule for Friday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 6 at 7 p.m. Watch the cast rehearsing a scene from The Visit.
Engaging in American Politics: Milton Students Excel in JSA Conference
On October 17, seven Milton students attended the Junior Statesmen of America (JSA) Fall Conference hosted at Boston University Law School. During the daylong event, students used their political knowledge, personal opinion and public speaking skills to craft speeches and debate topics ranging from immigration to religious leaders seeking public office.
Competing with over 150 students from the New England area, members of Milton’s JSA chapter—Celeste Young (III), Maximos Nikitas (III) and Kitty Lan (III)—were awarded four out of sixteen Best Speaker Awards.
Junior Statesmen of America is a national non-profit foundation with 500,000 student leaders from high schools across the country. Members of Milton’s JSA chapter—which was initiated at the start of this school year—meet once a week to discuss hot topics such as the upcoming 2010 midterm elections, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, and lowering the drinking age to 16.
“Although we only recently activated the club on campus,” says Kitty Lan, one of the club’s founding members, “it has already drawn many of Milton’s students, encouraging participation, understanding and bipartisanship in politics.”
Dr. Linda Eyster Inducted into Science Educators Hall of Fame
Milton faculty member Linda “Linde” Eyster, Ph.D. is a new member of the Massachusetts Hall of Fame for Science Educators. Linde has been teaching science at Milton for over 20 years, this year leading Honors Biology and Advanced Biology students. Both current and former students describe classroom experiences with Linde as imaginative, challenging, rewarding, defining—in terms of energizing them about science—and fun. Many Milton alumni pinpoint experiences in her classroom as pivotal in their choice of science careers. In support of Linde’s nomination, one colleague said that in Linde’s classroom, “Curiosity is expected, rewarded and reseeded every day.” Linde recently published an article in The Science Teacher, a peer-reviewed scholarly journal for secondary school teachers produced by the National Science Teachers Association. Her article, “Encouraging Creativity in the Lab,” appeared in the September, 2010 issue.
Charlotte Reed '11 Wins Prestigious Princeton Writing Prize
Charlotte Reed (I), a second-year creative writing student, earned first place in Princeton University’s 2010 Leonard Milberg ’53 Secondary School Poetry competition. As part of this distinction, Charlotte was recently a guest of honor at the prizewinners’ luncheon where she dined with three members of Princeton’s creative writing faculty: poets Paul Muldoon, Susan Wheeler and Michael Dickman. “These three people are incredible, award-winning writers, and the conversation was so organic,” Charlotte says. Charlotte’s poem “Acupuncture” was chosen from among thousands of submissions from across the country. Sponsored by the University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, the contest was judged by members of Princeton’s creative writing faculty, which includes renowned authors Joyce Carol Oates, Jeffrey Eugenides, Tracy K. Smith and Colm Toibin. “What I like best about writing poetry,” Charlotte says, “is that it accesses human nature in a way that you can’t always express in a full sentence, or in a critical essay. No matter where you start in poetry, no matter what your topic is, you always reveal something about humanity. I also love the language of poetry—playing with words, choosing words, creating metaphors.” Charlotte’s award-winning poem will appear in the next issue of theMagus-Mabus, Milton’s student literary magazine.
The rare, the hip, the crazy, the fun Swap-It is a fall tradition at Milton
Who doesn’t welcome the chance to step out for an elegant evening looking just splendid? At Milton, Swap-It is both the means and the end. Whether it’s a funky purse or an outrageous scarf, plaid pants or shimmering skirt, clothing you can only dream about is available on a student’s budget at the well-loved indoor yard sale called Swap-It. Nearly a decade ago, a sharp organizer scheduled a dance on the biggest day of the sale, and costumes-by-Swap-It became de rigueur. Of course many among us, students included, buy serious things at Swap-It, too. The enormous sale features many treasures—outerwear and sports gear, books and games, furniture and designer clothing—that have all been donated by members of the Milton community. Teams of K–8 parents accept, sort, price and organize the thousands of donations that pour in during the days before the sale, then manage the crowds and the cashiering.
Acclaimed Jazz Musician and Alumnus Aaron Goldberg ’91 Celebrates Release of Home
Aaron Goldberg ’91, world-renowned jazz pianist and leader of the Aaron Goldberg Trio, recently released his new album Home to high critical acclaim. On Friday, October 8, the Aaron Goldberg Trio performed two shows at the Regattabar, in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, to celebrate the release. Home—which includes bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland—is the Trio’s fourth major album. It features several cover songs, paying tribute to Thelonius Monk in “I Mean You” and Stevie Wonder in “Isn’t She Lovely.” The Boston Globe calls the Trio “one of jazz's most delectable...a superlative group,” and Rolling Stone describes their music as “a rare balance of chops and interplay.”
Classrooms with a Conscience: Ethics Conference at Milton
Milton Academy welcomed 180 teachers from independent and public schools at “Classrooms with a Conscience,” a day-long seminar focused on bringing ethical issues into classrooms. The conference was organized by Milton faculty members Gordon Chase and Heather Flewelling, and co-sponsored by Milton Academy and Facing History and Ourselves.
After a keynote address by author James Carroll, nine sessions offered a range of entry points for the consideration of contemporary ethics, from how to cultivate ethical thinking in digitally linked teenagers, to how to use sports or arts as springboards.
Scotty McLennan Is This Year’s Speaker for Religious Understanding
Reverend William L. McLennan, Jr., dean for religious life at Stanford University, provides spiritual, moral and ethical leadership for the university—teaching and encouraging a wide spectrum of religious traditions on campus. Scotty McLennan, as he’s better known, is minister of Stanford’s Memorial Church, creating opportunity for multi-faith worship, as well as raising and responding to social justice issues and engaging in public service. On Wednesday, October 6, Reverend McLennan talked with students as this year’s Class of 1952 Endowed Speaker for Religious Understanding. Dean McLennan earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1970, and earned his master of divinity and J.D. degrees from Harvard Divinity and Law Schools in 1975. He is ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry and was the chaplain at Tufts University from 1984 to 2000. Reverend McLennan was a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School for ten of those years.
Investing in Girls: Milton Senior and Alumna Pair Up on a Non-Profit Venture
Chelsea Mehra (I) worked with her mentor and Milton alumna Dune Thorne ’94 this summer to found the non-profit venture, Investing in Girls (IIG). “We wanted to create something that broadens girls’ education in finance and investing, beyond their own circle—especially for girls from economically-challenged backgrounds,” Chelsea says.Dune is managing director at the independent wealth management firm Silver Bridge Advisors. IIG’s mission is to educate girls in finance. It provides girls from all backgrounds and communities access to three-pronged support: a finance curriculum delivered in a small group setting with roundtable discussions; one-on-one mentoring with successful women in the financial services industry; and comprehensive industry exposure to events, tours and seminars. This exposure gives participants a sense of industry structure and the wide range of career paths available to them.
New Research Led by Lorna Role ’71 Wins the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
Lorna W. Role, Ph.D. and member of the Class of 1971, has been named a winner of the prestigious Director’s Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Director’s Pioneer Award supports a small number of investigators of exceptional creativity, according to the NIH, who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research.
Dr. Role is chair of the department of neurology and behavior at Stony Brook University. Her work, according to Stony Brook President Samuel Stanley, “is marked by creative approaches to one of the most important questions in neuroscience today: How do we preserve the nerve cells responsible for keeping our brains working at full capacity?” The NIH has singled out her proposal for light-induced deep brain stimulation of cholinergic neurons that are involved in degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Janet Levine of Milton’s English Department Releases Her New Novel
In her new novel, Leela’s Gift, English faculty member Janet Levine combines modern philosophy and primal wisdom with teachings of Buddhism and the Enneagram of Personality. Leela, a New Yorker traveling through the Himalayas, undertakes an unexpected inner-journey, and under the guidance of a yogi master achieves spiritual realization. Upon her return to the U.S., she struggles to share the combined teachings of East and West—maintaining that yoga and meditation offer practical paths to quieting the busyness of our contemporary lives. Janet Levine has been published in the New York Times Magazine, the Boston Globe, the Yale Review and has appeared on national television as a commentator on South Africa. A South African native, Janet was an anti-apartheid activist, freelance journalist and twice-elected public official. She was the only white journalist in South Africa to have a weekly column in a black newspaper. You can read about Janet’s political life in her memoir Inside Apartheid.
Austan Goolsbee ’87 Now Chairs President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors
President Obama has appointed Austan Goolsbee, Class of 1987 and former Academy trustee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. The council of Economic Advisers is a White House agency involved in the economic policy process on a daily basis. Formerly, Austan had been one of the three Council members, as well as the president’s chief economist. As Austan describes it, the three members of the Council of Economic Advisors form a kind of "idea shop and analyzer" tied to policy development. It "provides analysis of the economy and of the potential economic impact of proposed policies," according to the New York Times. For example, Austan explained in a the Milton Magazine, "as the auto industry crisis called for action at the start of the Obama administration, an interagency meeting deliberating about what the administrations role ought to be might look to the CEA for analysis about the state of manufacturing nationwide—what has worked, or not worked, in that sector."
Illuminations, an exhibit of the art of Samuel Bak created for Facing History and Ourselves, will open at Milton's Nesto Gallery on Tuesday, September 14 and will continue through October 23. Samuel Bak has created hundreds of paintings over his long life; they are evocative, disturbing, and inspiring. Born in 1933 in Vilna, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania), Samuel Bak was recognized very early in his life as an artist. He had his first exhibition at nine years old, inside the Vilna ghetto, as atrocities of the holocaust grew daily. Samuel and his mother were ultimately the only survivors of his extensive family, at the end of World War II. Bak’s paintings recall the memories of what was lost—childhood, faith in the goodness of man, and the identity of a people. Life does return after trauma and devastation, however and Bak’s paintings are surprisingly joyful and colorful. They celebrate life, but do so by presenting many psychological puzzles that the viewer is invited to solve. His enigmatic figures, fractured landscapes, and mythical and religious motifs challenge us to defend our humanity, and to embrace the stories that define us.
Colin Cheney ’96 Wins Prestigious National Literary Award
Colin Cheney ’96 was awarded a prestigious 2010 Pushcart Prize—a prize that has honored some of America’s foremost writers since 1976—for his poem “Lord God Bird.” Winners of the Pushcart Prize appear in an annual anthology of stories, poems, essays and memoirs selected from hundreds of small magazines and presses throughout the world. The Pushcart Prize collection series was founded by Bill Henderson and a group of founding editors that included Paul Bowles, Ralph Ellison, Joyce Carol Oates and Reynolds Price. The annual Pushcart Prize collection has been called “The ex-officio house organ for the American literary cosmos,” by the Chicago Tribune. The New York Times calls the publication “a distinguished annual literary event.” Each Pushcart Prize edition features works by about sixty authors from dozens of presses. Little magazine and small book press editors may make up to six nominations each year for the collection, and selections are chosen by Pushcart’s staff of distinguished Contributing Editors.
Milton honored four Class I athletes with the Academy’s traditional and venerable athletic and sportsmanship awards.
Inspired by their semester at the Mountain School Program of Milton Academy, Caitlin Dutkiewicz (I) and Anika Wasserman (I) decided to start a vegetable garden from scratch as their senior project.
Some of Milton’s best student writers gathered with faculty and guests in Cox Library on Monday evening for the Laurence S. Persky Memorial Awards. The annual awards are given for the best work appearing in Milton Academy student publications and honors excellence in creative writing, journalism, art, photography and production.
New sculptures that have surprised and intrigued everyone on campus are the works of sculptors from the Class of 1966. Sabbath Loaf, by Murray “Mac” Dewart ’66 and Transit, by Walter Horak ’66 help commemorate Mac’s and Walter’s 45th Reunion this year. You can see both pieces in the green space between Wigg and Straus, just off the pathway, through the end of June.
The new photography exhibit at Milton’s Nesto Gallery offers two views of the natural world: One view is up close, almost microscopic. The other offers a vast expanse. Camera Comrades Sharing the Adventure of Lens and Light features the work of long-time visual arts faculty member Bryan Cheney and his former student Clay Hutchison ’76.
After a rigorous exam process, Brian Kong (I) earned one of 20 spots on the 2011 U.S. Physics Team. He will spend the next two weeks in Washington, D.C., at a training camp that immerses students in an intense study of physics. From that group, five students will be selected to travel to the International Physics Olympiad in Bangkok, Thailand, this July.
When Zakiya Lewis (I) was in fifth grade she was chosen to speak at her school’s annual fund-raising dinner. Mother Caroline, an independent middle school for girls in Dorchester, offers a quality education for girls whose families have limited financial means.
Teammates. Roommates. And now award recipients. Charlie Storey (I) and Ben Ticknor (I) were named Scholar-Athletes by the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the College Football Hall of Fame. Thirty-three Massachusetts student athletes were recognized for their academic achievements at an awards ceremony held on May 9. Their names will be engraved on a plaque that hangs in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.
After the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Rena Ogura (II) wanted to help the people in her home country. She and Tetsu Higuchi (II) set up collection boxes around campus and began collecting pennies. The idea was based on a popular fundraiser at Rena’s middle school in Japan called, “One Yen Makes A Difference.” Each student would collect yens in a milk carton that would ultimately be donated to local charities.
A stiff spring breeze lifted the blue bunting hung over the building sign as Milton Academy dedicated the Pritzker Science Center. Gathered in the sun, students, faculty alumni and parents listened as Head of School Todd Bland and President of the Board Brad Bloom thanked the individuals who helped bring the state-of-the-art facility to fruition. In his introduction, Mr. Bloom noted that it would now be hard to imagine Milton without this new science center.
Seniors, reflecting on what they've gained from serving during their Milton years, launched the biennial Community Service Day on May 4. Service projects at numerous locations, off campus and on, offered myriad ways to help.
Sophie Panarese (I) is a fierce tennis player with a strong one-hand backhand. She is also gracious and courteous on the court. Earlier this spring, Sophie received the William Hoblitzelle Award, which is 
Advanced science students showcased their DYO (Design Your Own) experiments at the first annual Science Symposium at the Pritzker Science Center last Friday night. Students presented the results of their month-long experiments to friends, faculty and some family who mingled on Pritzker’s first floor.
This weekend, Milton presented two Spring Concert events in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. On Friday, April 29, the first concert featured the music of Milton's chamber singers and Glee Club. The chamber singers performed the works of Salomone Rossi, Antonio Lotti, Sergei Rachmaninoff and John Rutter, and the Glee Club took on songs by Robert Schumann, Mozart, Gabriel Faure and Harry Chapin. 
In third grade, Matt Chen (II) was in a bookstore with his family when he spied the cover of Airways magazine, an international trade publication focused on commercial flight. He took the issue home, and Matt’s fascination with aviation was launched. In addition to extensive reading, he collected die-cast plane models and spent countless hours on an online flight simulator.
The trick to improvising Shakespeare? Learn your “thees” and “thous,” let the metaphors and similes fly, and try not to think too hard. It’s not “you look great,” it’s “thou lookest as fine as a red rose in bloom!”
The new Pritzker Science Center is awe-inspiring for many reasons: the seamless transition it provides between classroom and lab space; the glass interior and exterior walls, which allow students, teachers and passers-by to “see” the science learning that’s taking place; and the fact that it was designed to meet silver LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Three Milton students earned recognition for their writing in this year’s prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards—the country’s oldest awards program for creative teenagers. While over 185,000 students submitted work for consideration, only 2,700 were selected for Silver and Gold Medals.
“All scientific illustration is a collaboration between artists and scientists,” says Clara Richardson, science illustrator and member of Milton’s Class of 1971. “The drawing is built under the direction of the scientist in order to support or elaborate on the point in question.”
Michael Edgar of the science faculty is one of 24 high school biology teachers nationwide chosen to participate in a three-day workshop with leading research scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
“Life is not a straight line; you will continually be changing while you prepare yourself at the same time,” Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman told students on March 30 while reflecting on her journalism career and life lessons learned.
Patrice Jean-Baptiste—performing arts faculty member—is performing this month in a production of Broke-ology, presented by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston. Set in Kansas City, Broke-ology is the story of a loving, working-class African-American family and the struggles they face over three decades. A recent Boston Globe review states that the “production of Nathan Louis Jackson’s unabashedly sentimental play hits home.”
Milton’s Jewish Student Union invited Frederick M. Lawrence, president of Brandeis University, to speak with students. Mr. Lawrence is one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights, free expression and bias crimes. He discussed issues of belonging and identity with Class I, II and III students at Wednesday’s assembly in Wigg Hall.
The boys’ varsity hockey team beat Kent School 2-1 in an intense, well-played game to win the NEPSAC Boys’ Hockey Championship in Salem, New Hampshire, on Sunday.
Ophelia. Juliet. Lady Macbeth. Actor and director Tina Packer brings her intimate knowledge of these and other female characters from Shakespeare’s oeuvre to campus this week as the Melissa Dilworth Gold Visiting Artist.
Ushering in spring with its energetic performances, colorful costumes and lively music, the Winter Dance Concert is one of the most popular performances on campus each year. Student choreographers begin work mid-autumn: preparing dance pieces, submitting proposals to director and dance teacher Kelli Edwards, auditioning and choosing dancers.
Fans of Milton’s varsity boys’ basketball and hockey raised the roof last night as both teams won their respective first-round tournament games at the Athletic and Convocation Center. It was a rare and special night with two post-season games that began at different times so fans could attend both competitions. In the end, some fans had to run back and forth to catch the action as both games finished almost simultaneously.
Poet Mark Doty’s expressive voice transported his Class I and II student audience from an early morning reading in King Theatre to a dimly lit space underground in the Village. His autobiographical poems invoked snippets of everyday life—a rural encounter with a goat, a city bus ride, a waiting room in a tattoo parlor.
For Josh (I) and Daniel (IV) Berman, mastering specific physical movements is crucial to achieving success in their respective sports—wrestling and climbing.
Do you want to laugh or cry? Wonder of the World will help you do both. Richly comic, built on universal themes, as contemporary as today, Wonder of the World is theatre at its best. Milton actors and tech experts render a production that will engage the audience. You’ll feel as though you know the characters and that you share their absurdity as well as their human foibles.
Congressional Debate, known as “Congress” at Milton, is a particular style of competition: Students write and submit “legislation” and then, acting as U.S. Congress people, present their bills in three-minute speeches. Two hardy Milton students — of the more than 60 members of the Milton Speech Team — choose to compete in “Congress.” Class II student Martin Page is one of those two; he has been a team member since his Class IV year. “I’ve always been interested in current events, and I joined the team because I thought it would really fit my interests. You either love or hate the Congress style. It’s definitely one of the ‘nerdier’ events.”
An eloquent Russell D. Weatherspoon, dean of residential life and religion teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy, encouraged Milton students to draw on the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. as they contemplate their futures. Mr. Weatherspoon was the Martin Luther King speaker; his original presentation had been postponed due to one of this winter’s severe storms.
Onyx and the Caribbean Student Association are hosting a range of fun, educational, diverse—and often delicious—events all over campus in celebration of Black History Month. Kicking off the month’s events, the Christian Fellowship and Gospel Choir presented the favorite Gospel Explosion concert on February 4, filling Thacher Hall with moving and soulful music and performances.
On Sunday, February 6, Yoshi Makishima (I) placed second honors at the 2011 Shakespeare Competition for High School Students, hosted by the Boston chapter of the English-Speaking Union of the United States. Twenty-seven public, private and parochial schools from around Massachusetts competed in the contest. Each participating student performed a monologue from one of Shakespeare's plays and recited one of his sonnets. Finalists were required to perform a "cold reading'' of a monologue selected by the English-Speaking Union (ESU).
Karen Li (II) and Tiffany Nguyen (II) have been selected to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Festival. The two musicians will perform in Boston’s historical Symphony Hall as part of the MMEA All-State Concert ensembles. The selection process began with an audition for the Eastern District MMEA Music Festival at Boston Latin. At the district concert event, the top performers were chosen to be a part of the All-State Festival. Karen will perform violin in the All-State orchestra and Tiffany will sing alto in the All-State chorus.
Milton Academy's archive is a valuable treasury of historical documents, publications, photographs and memorabilia that track our long School history. Diane Pierce-Williams, of the library staff, will now serve Milton as our archivist. Diane's background in library and information science has made her a valuable assistant at Cox Library since 2002. Among her scholarly pursuits and achievements, Diane has studied archiving, and is well-prepared and enthusiastic about establishing systematic and appropriate collecting and organizing of the data that supports Milton's history.
Over the next four weeks, student leaders will be reading meters across campus and reporting Milton’s energy usage on a weekly basis as part of the 2011 Green Cup Challenge. This student-driven, energy-saving enterprise encourages students—and teachers—to work collectively to achieve an aggregated electrical energy reduction of at least 7 percent at their school. The Challenge empowers students and stresses the importance of teamwork, while raising awareness about climate change and the importance of resource conservation.
Jazz pianist Aaron Goldberg ’91 and his trio are performing at the renowned Village Vanguard in New York City on February 1 through 6. Aaron studied classical piano as a child, and at Milton, music teacher Bob Sinicrope turned him on to jazz.
Lamar Reddicks, who joined the faculty in 2008, will be Milton's next director of athletics and physical education in the Upper School. Lamar has been the assistant athletic director and head coach of the boys' varsity basketball team, and his roots in the town of Milton run deep. A member of Milton High School's 1996 state championship basketball team, Lamar was inducted into Milton High School's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. After captaining the men's basketball team at Bentley College, Lamar spent eight years coaching at the collegiate level, working with Harvard's and Boston University's men's teams.
Vivian Wu Wong, chair of the history and social sciences department, authored the feature article in the recent issue of Independent School magazine, published by the National Association of Independent Schools. The winter 2011 issue, titled "The Myth of the Model Minority," discusses the history and experiences of Asian and Asian-American students in America; how the label "model minority" can be perilous for students; and how we must eradicate the stereotypes and racism that underwrite social inequity. Vivian's article is titled "Getting It Right: Schools and the Asian-American Experience."
When you walk into the Pritzker Science Center these days, the first lab on your right features a large, seemingly empty, water tank. But burrowed underneath the gravel are a dozen Hawaiian bobtail squid that come out at night to eat and mate. These squid are serving as important ground-based testing for an experiment that will send some of their fellow squid up into the cosmos on the space shuttle Endeavor sometime this spring. This space shuttle flight will be the final one before NASA closes the program.
Mike Matczak '07 and Brandon Nunn '07—who co-captained Milton's hockey team in their senior year—recently played on opposite sides of Yale's Ingalls Rink in New Haven, Connecticut.
Tufts University professor and diversity leader Jean Yu-Wen Shen Wu was the featured Hong Kong Distinguished Lecturer in King Theatre. Dr. Wu, whose work focuses on both race in America and Asian American studies, shared her thoughts with Class I and II students on how the differences of our race define the overall quality of our lives.
Alumnus Zachary Moore returns to Milton’s King Theatre to light up the stage for an original dance theater piece, Dancing Behind My Eyelids. Moore, who demonstrated his backstage production talent early as a student at Milton, now comes full-circle as lighting designer for this traveling performance.
Milton's boys' varsity basketball team earned first place in the holiday tournament held over the weekend at St. Sebastian’s School. This is the second year in a row the Mustangs have won the tournament.
Milton's boys' and girls' varsity hockey teams both placed in the weekend's holiday tournament. The boys' team placed third in the 46th Annual Flood-Marr Tournament with an undefeated weekend, outscoring Andover, Hotchkiss and Nobles. Defenseman Pat McNally (I) and forward Dan Merenich (I) earned spots on the 2010 all-tournament team.
Anne Neely’s Advanced Independent 2-D class hosted a reception for the opening of their exhibit, Senior Philosophies, on Wednesday, December 15 in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. As if needed, art students added incentive to attend the gala event by offering cookies and hot chocolate to all that joined them.
Kenzie Bok '07, a Harvard University senior concentrating in history, was named one of this year's Marshall Scholars, an honor earned by only 31 students across the country. The scholarship will allow her to study for two years at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, where she plans to complete an M.Phil in intellectual history and political thought.
A story about cross-country star Henry Russell in Sunday’s Boston Globe highlights Henry’s transition from hockey player to runner, his achievements on Milton Academy’s cross-country and track and field teams, and his future college and running plans.
Nicolette Gendron and Chinenye Ikoro, both Class I, will represent Milton Academy as finalists in YoungArts Week 2011. They were chosen from among 6,000 applicants in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts to participate in the unique, weeklong event that will take place in Miami in January.
Rutgers Professor Jackson Lears’ presentation was titled: “Two Gilded Ages: Is History Repeating Itself?”
Baker Heidi Videto spent many early hours baking 221 all-butter crust, pumpkin pies from scratch. She can look to Andrea Donofrio, executive chef for FLIK, for that extra challenge. Andrea wanted to recognize and help her many Haitian colleagues on the dining staff. With FLIK’s support, Andrea launched a holiday pie sale. Proceeds from the sale will provide much-needed medical supplies for their homeland, still struggling from the effects of last winter’s earthquake. The dining team donated a portion of their staff appreciation funds toward buying the ingredients, and the Milton community responded.
In recognition of world hunger, the Community Service Board hosted the annual Oxfam Hunger Banquet in Forbes Dining Hall on Tuesday, November 16. At the banquet, students and faculty drew lottery tickets from a bucket that assigned them to either a high-, middle- or low-income tier. The number of tickets for each income level was based on the latest statistics about the number of people living in poverty. The ticket that each student or faculty received would indicate whether they would eat a regular meal, rice and gravy, or just a bowl of rice. The goal of the event was not only to raise awareness, but also, with money saved by not preparing the normal meals that day, raise funds for the Oxfam organization.
This year’s Class IV Play, Just Another High School Play by Bryan Starchman, presents a group of high school actors who have been abandoned by their drama teacher. The students find a box of scripts to work from and then have to fend for themselves in front of an impatient audience on opening night. Director Pam McArdle says that this year’s Class IV Play is full of fun surprises and physical comedy, and it samples the drama of playwrights from Albee to Shakespeare.
Spirit looks like a riot of blue and orange and sounds very loud. The 2010 Spirit Rally, leading into the Milton-Nobles games, had something for everyone: a costume relay race, a performance by the step team, and a spotlight on each of Milton's teams and players. Scott Murphy (cross country), Nik Powers (football) and Henry Russell (cross country) emceed a lively event, and Mr. Bland wrapped things up with a promise of Milton hats for all.
Calling all alumni from the Class of 1997 through the Class of 2010
Class I students in Nicole Colson’s English elective, Woman, Man and Their Fictions, have finished reading Philip Roth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel American Pastoral. On a Tuesday morning, they settle in around the Harkness table in Nicole’s classroom, dog-eared copies of the paperback in hand, as their teacher greets them and briefly shares some information about an upcoming assignment and mid-semester grades. Housekeeping agenda items out of the way, Nicole asks of no one in particular, “We can go anywhere in the book now, so where would you like to start?”
“The year I began to say vahz instead of vase, a man I barely knew nearly accidentally killed me.” This opening line of Amy Hempel’s story “The Harvest” is indicative of her award-winning writing: “destabilizing… and at once funny and devastating,” describes faculty member Lisa Baker.
A Condition of One’s Making, an exhibition by New York-based conceptual artist Wade Aaron, opened at Milton's Nesto Gallery on Tuesday, November 2 and will continue through December 11.
Sydney Sykes, Class II, has long been interested in architecture, her heritage, and cultural sharing. This month she indulged all three passions in Nara, Japan, at a conference that gathered representatives from the some of the oldest and most historically rich cities around the world. Sydney was a Youth Forum member of the Twelfth World Conference of Historical Cities. The conference is organized by the League of Historical Cities whose mission is to promote world peace through communication and cultural sharing. Boston is the only U.S. city of the 86 in the league, and Sydney was the sole youth representative from North America chosen to attend this year’s conference.
This week, Milton's student actors, stage managers, set designers and theater techs—under the direction of performing arts faculty member, Shane Fuller—will delight audiences with the first mainstage production of the year. The Visit, a tragicomedy by the Swiss playwright Friedrich Durrenmatt, opens in King Theatre on Thursday, November 4.
On October 17, seven Milton students attended the Junior Statesmen of America (JSA) Fall Conference hosted at Boston University Law School. During the daylong event, students used their political knowledge, personal opinion and public speaking skills to craft speeches and debate topics ranging from immigration to religious leaders seeking public office.
Milton faculty member Linda “Linde” Eyster, Ph.D. is a new member of the Massachusetts Hall of Fame for Science Educators. Linde has been teaching science at Milton for over 20 years, this year leading Honors Biology and Advanced Biology students. Both current and former students describe classroom experiences with Linde as imaginative, challenging, rewarding, defining—in terms of energizing them about science—and fun. Many Milton alumni pinpoint experiences in her classroom as pivotal in their choice of science careers. In support of Linde’s nomination, one colleague said that in Linde’s classroom, “Curiosity is expected, rewarded and reseeded every day.”
Charlotte Reed (I), a second-year creative writing student, earned first place in Princeton University’s 2010 Leonard Milberg ’53 Secondary School Poetry competition. As part of this distinction, Charlotte was recently a guest of honor at the prizewinners’ luncheon where she dined with three members of Princeton’s creative writing faculty: poets Paul Muldoon, Susan Wheeler and Michael Dickman. “These three people are incredible, award-winning writers, and the conversation was so organic,” Charlotte says.
Who doesn’t welcome the chance to step out for an elegant evening looking just splendid? At Milton, Swap-It is both the means and the end. Whether it’s a funky purse or an outrageous scarf, plaid pants or shimmering skirt, clothing you can only dream about is available on a student’s budget at the well-loved indoor yard sale called Swap-It. Nearly a decade ago, a sharp organizer scheduled a dance on the biggest day of the sale, and costumes-by-Swap-It became de rigueur.
Aaron Goldberg ’91, world-renowned jazz pianist and leader of the Aaron Goldberg Trio, recently released his new album Home to high critical acclaim. On Friday, October 8, the Aaron Goldberg Trio performed two shows at the Regattabar, in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, to celebrate the release.
Milton Academy welcomed 180 teachers from independent and public schools at “Classrooms with a Conscience,” a day-long seminar focused on bringing ethical issues into classrooms. The conference was organized by Milton faculty members Gordon Chase and Heather Flewelling, and co-sponsored by Milton Academy and Facing History and Ourselves.
Reverend William L. McLennan, Jr., dean for religious life at Stanford University, provides spiritual, moral and ethical leadership for the university—teaching and encouraging a wide spectrum of religious traditions on campus. Scotty McLennan, as he’s better known, is minister of Stanford’s Memorial Church, creating opportunity for multi-faith worship, as well as raising and responding to social justice issues and engaging in public service. On Wednesday, October 6, Reverend McLennan talked with students as this year’s Class of 1952 Endowed Speaker for Religious Understanding.
Chelsea Mehra (I) worked with her mentor and Milton alumna Dune Thorne ’94 this summer to found the non-profit venture, Investing in Girls (IIG). “We wanted to create something that broadens girls’ education in finance and investing, beyond their own circle—especially for girls from economically-challenged backgrounds,” Chelsea says.
Lorna W. Role, Ph.D. and member of the Class of 1971, has been named a winner of the prestigious Director’s Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Director’s Pioneer Award supports a small number of investigators of exceptional creativity, according to the NIH, who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research.
In her new novel, Leela’s Gift, English faculty member Janet Levine combines modern philosophy and primal wisdom with teachings of Buddhism and the Enneagram of Personality. Leela, a New Yorker traveling through the Himalayas, undertakes an unexpected inner-journey, and under the guidance of a yogi master achieves spiritual realization. Upon her return to the U.S., she struggles to share the combined teachings of East and West—maintaining that yoga and meditation offer practical paths to quieting the busyness of our contemporary lives.
President Obama has appointed Austan Goolsbee, Class of 1987 and former Academy trustee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. The council of Economic Advisers is a White House agency involved in the economic policy process on a daily basis. Formerly, Austan had been one of the three Council members, as well as the president’s chief economist.
Illuminations, an exhibit of the art of Samuel Bak created for Facing History and Ourselves, will open at Milton's Nesto Gallery on Tuesday, September 14 and will continue through October 23. Samuel Bak has created hundreds of paintings over his long life; they are evocative, disturbing, and inspiring. Born in 1933 in Vilna, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania), Samuel Bak was recognized very early in his life as an artist. He had his first exhibition at nine years old, inside the Vilna ghetto, as atrocities of the holocaust grew daily. Samuel and his mother were ultimately the only survivors of his extensive family, at the end of World War II. Bak’s paintings recall the memories of what was lost—childhood, faith in the goodness of man, and the identity of a people. Life does return after trauma and devastation, however and Bak’s paintings are surprisingly joyful and colorful. They celebrate life, but do so by presenting many psychological puzzles that the viewer is invited to solve. His enigmatic figures, fractured landscapes, and mythical and religious motifs challenge us to defend our humanity, and to embrace the stories that define us.
Colin Cheney ’96 was awarded a prestigious 2010 Pushcart Prize—a prize that has honored some of America’s foremost writers since 1976—for his poem “Lord God Bird.” Winners of the Pushcart Prize appear in an annual anthology of stories, poems, essays and memoirs selected from hundreds of small magazines and presses throughout the world. The Pushcart Prize collection series was founded by Bill Henderson and a group of founding editors that included Paul Bowles, Ralph Ellison, Joyce Carol Oates and Reynolds Price.
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