spring 2012 ea...

EA TODAYSPRING 2012

A publication for parents, alumni, and friends

Richard Jablonowski ’95 (R) displays the EA colors on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Rich took part in a Drake University service trip to

Tanzania in 2011. See Class Notes, p. 28!

• Small Class Sizes• Academic Excellence• Exceptional Teachers and

Talented Students• Outstanding Facilities• History of Leadership• True Spirit of Community

Board of Trustees2011-2012

Fred Masnato, ChairHarold Rider, Vice Chair

Linda Kost Bremseth, SecretaryKeith Rauschenberger, Treasurer

Laura AndersonRob Berry ’86

Dr. John W. Cooper,ex officio

Steven FlexmanJanet HughesGeorge Karas

Sandy KirkRobin Pearson

Hugh Rider

Antonino RomanoAlan ScimecaJennifer Byers ’05Saunders, ex officioBill Skok ’81Claire SuevelAntonis TheodorouRobert WadingtonMargaret WardPhil WilmingtonJohn Yavari

Administrative Team2011-2012

Dr. John W. Cooper, Head of School

Seth Hanford, Assistant Head of Schooland Upper School Director

Sandy Revak, Middle School Director

Harry Gould, Lower School Director

Mary Hannert, Early Childhood Director

Shannon Howell, Director ofAdmission and Marketing

Gerald O’Keeffe, Director ofFinance and Operations

Danese Bardot, J.D., Director ofDevelopment and Alumni Relations

Alumni Advisory Board2011-2012

Jennifer Byers ’05 Saunders, ChairDr. John W. Cooper, Head of School

John T. Cain ’85Mike Cox ’95

Frederick Fletcher, Faculty LiaisonJerry Johnson ’71

Antoinette G. Korotko ’56Sue Morton ’66 Lloyd

Mark Moller ’01Hugh Rider ’86Fred Thulin ’43

Danese Bardot, J.D.,Director of Development and

Alumni Relations

In This IssueSpring 2012 Issue l Volume XXI, No. 2

From the Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2School Service Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3EA Athletics: Volleyball Snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6EA Traditions: Biographers’ Tea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Head of School Transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Faculty Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10On Stage at the Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Faculty/Staff Service Anniversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12US Curriculum Highlight: AP Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14EA Traditions: Extravaganza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15On the Walls of Elgin Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18LS Curriculum Highlight: World Language Studies . . . . 19Distinguished Alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Charitable Insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Investing in EA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Parent Opportunities to Volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Alumni Weddings and New Arrivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

EA Today Staff Head of SchoolDr. John W. Cooper(847) 695-0309 ext. [email protected]

Dir. of Development and Alumni RelationsDanese Bardot, J.D.(847) 695-0309 ext. [email protected]

Director of Admission and MarketingShannon Howell(847) 695-0309 ext. [email protected]

Editorial InternAshley Gray ’07

Design/LayoutRescigno’s Marketing Connections

Principal PhotographyDr. Aisha Khan

For admission information, contact the Admission AssociateMary Ann Schumacher(847) 695-0303or [email protected]

Special Thanks to: Seth Hanford, Dr. Frank Hering, Susan Kennedy, Lynn Martin, Kathy Rusniak, Dewayne Robinson, Dawn Schmidt, and Sharon Shatkus.

EA Today is a publication of Elgin Academy and is distributed free of charge to alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of the Academy. All rights reserved. Elgin Academy, 350 Park Street, Elgin, IL 60120.

EA TODAY 1

from theHead of School

2 EA TODAY EA TODAY 3

It is with great enthusiasm and deep affection that I welcome you to this issue of EA Today. Spring has been a busy time here at Elgin Academy. After considerable soul-searching, I have accepted an offer to become the Headmaster of TMI—the Episcopal School of Texas. We on the Hilltop are excited to usher in a new era under the leadership of Seth Hanford, our dedicated Upper School Director, who will become Elgin Academy’s 36th Head of School.

Elgin Academy’s Board of Trustees undertook a diligent and thorough search process for the new Head of School. As chairman Fred Masnato articulated, Mr. Hanford “is well matched to expand the range of work already underway at the school and continue its long tradition of academic excellence.” We are proud that our future leadership has been grown from within, and we are confident that this new era will be a successful one.

The board dedicated as much care and attention to the subsequent national search for a new Upper School Director. From dozens of candidates, three finalists were selected for day-long campus visits and interviews. The Academy was pleased to welcome Doug Sept into the EA fold. Mr. Sept has several years of experience and demonstrated leadership as an Upper School Director at Columbia Independent School in Missouri. As Mr. Hanford said, “We eagerly anticipate his contributions to our community.” Mr. Sept received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri—Rolla and his master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Kentucky.

Elgin Academy is an institution rooted in tradition, dedicated to excellence and innovation. The Academy has a sound strategic planning process which involves an annual joint retreat for the administration team and the Board of Trustees, and each year a report is published and posted to the EA website. The annual plans are well-established, multi-year projects and will continue under Mr. Hanford’s leadership. Several new initiatives, including continued campus improvements and technology upgrades, are embedded in the strategic plan.

While there are a handful of newly-hired faculty and staff members each year, the Elgin Academy team is and will continue to be steady and strong, with very little turnover. The selection process for new faculty and staff is very thorough; once a member is on board, there is a deliberate process of performance evaluation and professional development to improve skills and knowledge. Each year the curriculum committee examines a

number of changes and additions to the school. Many issues of late concern the use of technology in and out of the classroom.

The fine arts program at Elgin Academy continues to deliver jaw-dropping performances, and the triumphs of our sports teams consistently impress. Our wide variety of clubs and activities expands every year; in addition to well-known and longstanding activities such as Trip Week, Immersion, Model UN, and WYSE, recent years have produced Mock Trial, Chess Club, Knitting Club, Robotics, Indian Dance, Baking Club, PAWS (animal rescue work), Media Arts Club, Math Counts, EA in the Middle, and Lower School Soccer.

During these last twelve years, I have been continually inspired and amazed by the quality of students and adults in this school community. To have the privilege to lead an educational institution in which everyone strives for excellence in all things has been a true joy. I am particularly proud of Elgin Academy for its ability to accomplish consistently its mission to prepare students who are “intellectually engaged and confident about their places in the world.” We are, indeed, a school that lives out its core values of tradition, innovation, and excellence. In this work, I am honored to have partnered with the dedicated Board of Trustees, our outstanding faculty and staff, and hundreds of wonderful families representing both current students and alumni.

Elgin Academy has a bright future ahead. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

Dr. John W. Cooper

School Service EffortsWho says a few hands can’t make an enormous difference? The Elgin Academy Upper School is extraordinarily dedicated to assisting the surrounding community in many needed ways. From food drives to animal rescue to tutoring programs to international service trips, these compassionate young adults have initiated a myriad of service efforts—a phenomenal testament to the change-making potential of Academy students.

PAWSOne of the newest service initiatives at EA is PAWS, a club designed to engage Upper School students in volunteer work for local animal shelters, specifically Anderson Animal Shelter

in South Elgin. The group was created by Bethany Oglesby ’12, who was inspired after a summer college visit during which she determined to study veterinary medicine after high school.

One of PAWS’s first initiatives was a supply drive to fulfill the Anderson Animal Shelter’s wish list of ongoing needs. In conjunction with the Baking Club, which raised $170, the drive concluded with 327 collected items and $315 in donations. The effort expanded first to the Middle School and then the Lower School, which was already in the midst of a drive for the shelter and provided 214 items.

Bethany noted that the shelter, a humane society, is overcapacity, currently housing 300 cats as well as dozens of dogs. “You can see that there’s a real need for these animals to find good homes,” she said. “Even one walk a day means so much to them.”

Despite its fledgling status, PAWS has already inspired a good number of EA participants, and Bethany’s efforts in particular have made an impact. She received a specially created award from Anderson at the Annual Banquet in December: the Anderson Volunteer Leadership Award. Bethany posts volunteer opportunities on a bulletin board in Ms. Cinquemani’s room, and while the majority of the effort is concentrated in the Upper School, PAWS fundraisers are often announced in e-blasts or paper flyers sent home in Friday Folders. Bethany hopes to continue to assist with basic maintenance issues and animal care, and is already drumming up more fundraising ideas.

ORTHOKIDSDana Lindenberg ’12 proposed to the Upper School community the opportunity of participating in Delnor Hospital’s “Orthokids,” a program dedicated to helping children with neurological and orthopedic conditions increase their physical independence through sessions in the warm water therapy pool. With the assistance of volunteers, the aquatic exercises are designed to maximize movement and allow children to stretch and strengthen muscles, develop their swimming skills and endurance, as well as learn safety protocols. Dana had volunteered for two years alongside Angie Martinez ’12, and they found many other interested students among their Academy peers.

Several groups of Upper School students dedicated an hour a week for rotations of six-week commitments, floating and splashing in the pool with children who ranged in age from two to fourteen years old. “The kids really responded well, both to the water treatment and the social interaction,” Dana recalled. “Many bonded closely with their volunteers—lots of babysitters get hired through this program!” Leslie Delgado ’13 added, “I really liked helping the kids, and I hope to be able to do the program again. It’s the kind of work I want to do when I grow up.”

JR. HILLTOPPERS/NHS TUTORINGAnother exciting community outreach initiative combines sports and academics, current students and EA alumni. Justin Anthony ’06 and Kim Krawzak ‘13 joined forces to develop a program for local middle-school-aged students that offered

Head of School


tutoring services to participants in a recreational basketball league hosted at the Elgin Academy Gymnasium.

Since 2010, Justin Anthony has led the Jr. Hilltoppers, a feeder program created several years ago by Scott Cork (father of Keith Cork ’05), who had coached Justin as an eighth-grader. “He [Scott Cork] always asked me about running it,” Justin explained. “But I couldn’t do it till I graduated college. I was excited to finally be able to accept the opportunity.” Andrew Smith ’07 has also lent his assistance. Each year tryouts attract students from all over the Elgin community, and this year the Jr. Hilltoppers consisted of four teams with roughly ten to twelve players each—one 5th/6th grade team, one 7th grade, and two 8th grade teams.

The Jr. Hilltoppers competed admirably against other feeder basketball teams such as the Larkin Junior Royals, the Rolling Meadows Junior Mustangs, and the Junior Waves from St. Edwards. Justin voiced great pride in his players’ development. “From day one there is significant improvement, and by the end of the season they are completely different players. It’s fantastic to watch that transformation.” The proof is in the numbers as well—the eighth graders finished 21-3, and the other teams played comparably. “We’re one of the strongest programs around,” Justin affirmed.

During the 2011–2012 season, Kim Krawzak ’13 recruited fellow National Honor Society members and organized a tutoring program in conjunction with the basketball league. While Elgin Academy’s NHS chapter has for several years facilitated a peer tutoring program among Upper School students, this year brought a new dimension to that initiative and provided underclassmen the rare opportunity to be tutors. For an hour before basketball practice, Upper School volunteers were available to offer homework help to any interested players through the end of basketball season. While tutoring was not a requirement for joining the Jr. Hilltoppers, several kids took advantage of the opportunity; Kim reported that on average, five or six students showed up for homework help each day. “We could expect a one-to-one ratio for most tutoring sessions,” reported Kim, who also served as one of the tutors. “We had a pretty consistent turnout, even if we had a different set of kids each time.”

Kim plans to continue the unique venture next season. Likewise, Justin, in the midst of establishing a basketball training business, is confident that he’ll be coaching the Jr. Hilltoppers for the foreseeable future. “We know we’re really making an impact when we hear from the parents—I recently got a message from one thanking me for being a mentor to their kids. We’re really making a difference.”

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TRIP

The eighth annual Outreach360 trip to the Dominican Republic saw a record number of EA participants. The group—made up of Elgin Academy students, faculty, alumni, and parents—dedicated a week of their spring break to serve at an orphanage, teach English at a local school, and provide needed health services. Señora Rusniak, who spearheaded the first trip in 2005 with Ms. Williams, said that 58 people traveled to Jaibon, a new location for the Academy crew. The original site, an orphanage in Monte Christi, Senora happily reported, “no longer needs outside volunteers—the organization has done what it set out to do, and the orphanage can stand on its own feet with confidence. We’re thrilled that this means we can continue aiding Outreach360 in a new place.” The trip has become a beloved recurring commitment and a highlight of the Upper School experience for many.

PADSThe Upper School also continued its commitment to the PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) program, for which students devote one morning a week to serving breakfast for the homeless and cleaning that night’s shelter. This year, the service heads were Veronica Alix and Dana Lindenberg, Class of 2012, and Claire Stone and Jordan Kaufman, Class of 2013. Advisories bring in food on a rotating basis and individuals sign on to a master list, from which the organizers choose an average of seven participants weekly. Roughly eighty percent of the Upper School student body takes part. “It’s definitely the biggest service effort we have.” Dana commented.

Dana, who became involved with PADS her sophomore year, said that the aspect she loves most about the program is the interaction with the people at the shelter. “You begin to have ‘regulars’ you look forward to seeing each time you go.” Especially satisfying is being able to witness the trajectory of those regulars, she said. “I got to know two moms and their kids in particular. But after Christmas they were no longer at the shelter—they had bought a house together! They didn’t need PADS anymore.” It was a poignant discovery, Dana articulated: “You miss them, but you know it means good things for them. When you go every other week, you recognize what leaving means.”

Claire Stone began participating in PADS as early as the summer before her freshman year, thanks to the involvement of her older sisters, Maddy ’10 and Emma ’11. “I just happened upon it,” she remembered, but what started as part of her Thursday ride to school quickly became one of her favorite commitments; she’s been attending every other week for three years. “The people are so nice,” she explained, mentioning that one gentleman, who works as a Santa during the Christmas season, continually asks after her older sisters. “He’s always wondering if they know their college fight songs yet.” For Claire, PADS is a perspective-changing program, and it has taught her some surprising things. “I’m more pleasant on Thursdays than any other day,” she said. “It really wakes you up.” And she isn’t just speaking literally—after each Thursday morning experience, Claire is reminded that she “can’t really spend time being stressed out about more trivial things.” She plans to continue volunteering at PADS through next summer.”

MORE EFFORTSIn addition to the sampling of clubs and activities profiled above, the list of Upper School service efforts is long and varied, with numerous participants across the board. Against the November cold, Samayra Saddiqui ’13 and Jordan Yavari ’14 organized “Beds for Boys,” a sheets and blankets drive for the Larkin Center’s group home for boys ages 6–14. In February, the Senior Class Food Drive collected donations to help replenish emergency food pantries at two worthy Elgin charities, Centro de Informacion and The Salvation Army; under the direction of Ms. Nabor, and in conjunction with the Lower School’s food collection competition that marks their 100 Days of School celebration, the Upper School collected several packed carloads of goods. Favorites like the Big Brother/Big Sister program with the Lower School and the December Angel Tree initiative also remain strong cornerstones of the Academy’s commitment to service.

The Academy’s broad range of options, service and otherwise, are not lost on the students. As Claire Stone notes, “It’s really possible to do things at EA.”


EA AthleticsSports Snapshot: Volleyball

Landon Skinner, EA Athletics Intern

Elgin Academy offers nine different sports in the Upper School (basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball) and five in the Middle School (baseball, basketball, field hockey, soccer, and volleyball). Volleyball is one of the most recent additions to our list of athletic opportunities, and both the Upper School and Middle School teams have experienced outstanding growth. Here’s a look at our 2011–2012 season:

UPPER SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

Elgin Academy Varsity girls volleyball finished with a 13-13 record. The team demonstrated a tremendously powerful offensive with superb serving skills. A major highlight of the season was taking First Place at the Faith Lutheran Tournament in October!

Coach Rich Witowski is looking forward to a strong return next season with a promising group of freshman arriving from the Middle School. He also hopes to establish a Junior Varsity team. In addition, this summer marks the first annual EA volleyball camp, beginning in July, during which Coach Witowski plans to concentrate on improving defensive strategies and techniques.

As a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) the Academy competes for individual and team recognition at the regional, sectional, and state levels. We’re excited to watch Elgin Academy Volleyball rise to new levels in competition!

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

The Middle School girls volleyball team grew stronger with every match. The team showed great focus, working hard to develop their three-hit volleys on the court and to cover for each other when faced with an injury or an absence. On numerous occasions, through tight communication and cooperation, we rallied and came from behind to win a set or a match. The girls are looking forward to next year while improving in every aspect of the game.

Across the board, our athletes, coaches, and fans display immense dedication and excellent sportsmanship. Go, Hilltoppers!

EA Traditions: Biographers’ Tea

5th/6th Grade

Explorers

Special thanks to the Athletic Booster Club for all they do to support EA’s athletic programs. They give many volunteer hours and help to raise money for sports equipment, activity buses, a variety of summer clinics, and improvements to our gymnasium and fields.

“One of my favorite experiences in Middle School was joining the volleyball team. I will never forget the first time my serve went over the net. I was in sixth grade, on the B team, and I was the last one to serve. I took a deep breath and swung at the ball as hard as I could. It barely made it over the net. The other team had watched my serves miss before, so they weren’t expecting it. The ball clunked at their feet, and that point won us the game! My teammates lifted me up onto their shoulders, my parents

were proud of me, and the coaches were smiling. It was great.” –Izzy Richardson ’16

8 EA TODAY

After twelve years of dedicated service and leadership, Dr. John W. Cooper has accepted a headship at TMI–The Episcopal School of Texas. The oldest independent school in San Antonio, TMI has 435 students in grades 6–12, including 48 students in the Residential Life program. It also has one of the top-rated Junior ROTC programs in the nation and was the alma mater of General Douglas McArthur. According to Dr. Cooper, TMI is similar to Elgin Academy in many respects, especially in the quality of students and the involvement of families. This will be Dr. Cooper’s third headship at independent schools—he previously served for six years as Headmaster at Wichita Collegiate School in Kansas before accepting the leadership position at Elgin Academy.

The decision to leave Elgin Academy was a difficult one for Dr. Cooper and his wife, Joan. The deciding factor was the opportunity to live closer to family—including Megan Cooper ’06 Hitchings, Michael Cooper ’02, and their oldest, John Cooper, a 1999 graduate of Wichita Collegiate School. All three Cooper children, plus two spouses and a fiancé, live in Fort Worth, Texas—about a four-hour drive from San Antonio. The whole family is looking forward to spending more time together.

Head of School Search

Following Dr. Cooper’s announcement of his appointment as Headmaster at TMI, a diverse team of qualified individuals contributed to the thorough search process for the new Head of School. The Board of Trustees formed a Search Committee consisting of members of the board’s Executive Committee; they in turn appointed an Advisory Committee representing the various components of the school community—division heads, Parent Association leaders, and faculty members. The committees also consulted the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and other professionals, garnering feedback from many parties.

On February 15, to resounding applause, Fred Masnato announced on behalf of the Board of Trustees that Seth Hanford had been appointed as the 36th Elgin Academy Head of School, beginning July 1, 2012. “Seth Hanford will be an outstanding Head of School,” Mr. Masnato affirmed. “His longtime experience in education and administration, including eleven years at the Academy, demonstrated a knowledge and love of the school that could not be exceeded by any other candidate.” Mr. Hanford’s active participation in the community, his effective communication style, and his understanding of the Academy’s challenges and opportunities for improvement were among the myriad reasons for the board’s confidence in Mr. Hanford’s ability to take on the position.

In an acceptance speech to faculty and staff, Mr. Hanford expressed enthusiasm for his new pursuits and gratitude to those he called the “lifeblood” of the Academy, the faculty and staff whom he “so deeply respects.” He acknowledged the facilitative role of administrative work, saying, “My job, more than ever, will be to work with the people of Elgin Academy so that they can do what they do best. The fun in this job is to continually improve at it. There is no other place I’d rather do that.” Mr. Hanford lauded Dr. Cooper for his instrumental tenure as Head of School, the relationships he has built with the community, the construction of new buildings, and other important changes. “John Cooper has laid the groundwork from which this school will move forward,” Hanford affirmed. “I am thrilled and humbled to have been selected as the next Head of School at Elgin Academy.”

In turn, Dr. Cooper expressed the utmost confidence in Seth Hanford’s assumption of his new role. “I am especially pleased that the impressive legacy of Elgin Academy will continue under the leadership of Seth Hanford. He is highly qualified, knowledgeable, and committed. In fact, he ‘bleeds’ orange and black.”

A LEGACY OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS

Dr. Cooper reflects on his twelve-year tenure at EA and looks toward the future.

A Legacy of Excellence

Dr. Cooper leaves behind a list of immense achievements for which he will be long remembered. As Fred Masnato wrote to the EA community, “Under Dr. Cooper’s leadership, Elgin Academy has grown both in size and stature, experiencing significant increases in enrollment (from 325 to 462 students) while becoming increasingly selective. The value of an EA education is continually reflected in admissions to many of the nation’s top colleges and universities, by high standardized test scores, and by an exceptional level of college scholarships awarded to our graduates. We have completed a capital campaign, increased our endowment, and made significant improvements to our campus. Dr. Cooper was instrumental in the merger of Elgin Academy and Summit Academy in 2006, and he also supervised the fundraising and construction of the Harold D. Rider Media, Science, and Fine Arts Center, which earned Gold-LEED recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council.”

An advocate of educating the whole student, Dr. Cooper has been wholly “Elgin Academy” for the last twelve years, both as a committed administrator and dedicated teacher. He has accompanied students on their Trip Week adventures, cheered them from the sidelines of the courts and athletic fields, applauded their fine arts performances, and saluted them at their Commencements. His initiatives touched all aspects of campus life, and several, including the Booster Club, Patrons of the Arts, and the ever-enjoyable Guitar Club, are now synonymous with the EA experience. Indeed, Dr. Cooper has left an indelible mark on the Hilltop.

According to Dr. Cooper, “Elgin Academy will always have a special place in my heart. In partnership with the Board, faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni, I have been privileged to lead during a period of tremendous progress at EA. The future is bright.”

Head of School Transition

EA TODAY 9

AN ELGIN ACADEMYTRADITION?

Dr. Cooper is not the first EA Head of School to trade Midwest blizzards for Texas heat—Edward P. Droste served as Elgin Academy’s headmaster in the 1950s. His children Adele ’51 and Carl ’56 both attended EA. Dr. Droste then accepted the position of Headmaster at—you guessed it!—TMI.

Another fun fact: Both Dr. Cooper and Dr. Droste served as presidents of Rotary Club!

John Fleener is an enthusiastic proponent of his students’ work. From technical skills to public speaking prowess, Mr. Fleener loves to showcase his students’ creativity and improvement. And more than anything, he desires that his students walk away from these experiences with confidence. Although today he mainly instructs teenagers, Mr. Fleener began his career in elementary education. He studied at Northern Illinois University, where he graduated as a K–9 certified Early Education major. He went on to spend sixteen years in the public school sector, teaching kindergarten for thirteen years and third grade for three. He then taught first grade at Summit Academy, during which time he also began to dabble in videography instruction. “I was using the video camera in the classroom when they first became available to the general public in the mid-80s,” he said, laughing at this reveal of his age. “I thought to myself, ‘I have a passion for both teaching and video—maybe I should combine the two!’” That is precisely what he did. After two years of teaching half-day first grade and half-day videography courses, Mr. Fleener was moved to teaching videography full-time. When Summit and Elgin Academy merged in 2007, he set up shop in the Harold D. Rider Center, where he’s been happily stationed for five years as EA’s Media Arts Director. “I love that EA is open to videography as an art as well as a necessary part of what we do here,” he said. “Not only do we get to document big events like Extravaganza, Homecoming, and fine arts performances, but videography is also an outlet for creativity in an unexpected way.” Mr. Fleener firmly believes in using videography as a tool for personal discovery. He can often be seen running around campus with his students generating content for classroom projects; from romps in fresh snow to the first buds of spring, Mr. Fleener encourages his students to find the highlights of life everywhere they look. A peek into one of Mr. Fleener’s classes reveals the wealth of knowledge he has to offer his students. He could be demonstrating camcorder use, “green screen” chroma-key composition, or digital editing. The students may be remixing a movie trailer or creating a composition about their classmates—in all cases, the classroom hums with imagination. Even a few minutes of video footage can open up all sorts of creative avenues as students learn the importance of rhythm, music, special effects, transition, and story. Mr. Fleener says he loves the reward of watching kids react to their own accomplishments. “When you work with videography, you’re essentially combining left- and right-brained thought processes, which means that kids who think they have no creativity whatsoever suddenly have a whole swath of opportunities before them. I love seeing the little light bulb go on.” Education in Mr. Fleener’s classroom extends far beyond “computer” work. His students are introduced to the fascinating world of media communications, receiving

instruction in news gathering, interviewing, writing, directing, producing, storyboarding, and reporting. “The students have opportunities for very real world experiences. They learn how to talk to people, how to speak in front of a different kind of audience, how to collect and convey information.” How well are these lessons absorbed? Corinne Lam ’16, who recently discovered she had both a passion and real talent for video editing, is now heavily considering carving a career in videography. Her dreams are well on their way to becoming a reality: GoPro, the world’s leading activity image capture company, was so impressed with her work with Charlie Vogel ’12’s extreme sports footage (captured with their products) that they invited her to check out open positions within the company. Corinne found her niche in seventh grade, when she completed a project celebrating a teacher who had been at EA for ten years. “When I presented it to her and the rest of the class, she was almost crying! Knowing that I’d made a video that really resonated with people, I wanted to keep exploring what I could do with it.” She opted to take videography as her elective in eighth grade, and her story is a testament to Mr. Fleener’s continued support and dedicated teaching. Corinne expressed how grateful she was for his guidance and encouragement. “He gives us a lot of creative license,” she said. “He gives us time to explore and have fun with the programs.” She also admitted that she wishes she had more than a trimester in the class, but she will be able to pick up videography again sophomore year (and she’s already promised Mr. Fleener he will see lots of her during freshman year). Rumor has it that Mr. Fleener doesn’t sleep. In addition to regular classroom work, he serves as a mentor for several students working on independent videography projects with local businesses. He has his own company, Willow Tree Studios, and when not on campus, he is hard at work on other projects. In 2011, Elgin’s Gail Borden Public Library presented him with the Most Creative Video Award. Mr. Fleener lives in Marengo with his wife and his dog Sami. When he’s not behind a camera or a computer screen, you can often find him cheering heartily for the Blackhawks!

10 EA TODAY

Faculty Profile Mr. Fleener:MS & US Videography

On Stage at the Academy: 2011-2012

EA TODAY 11


Faculty/Staff Service AnniversariesFORTY YEARS OF FLETCH

Mr. Fred Fletcher is the most enduring member of the Elgin Academy community. With forty years of outstanding service and constant EA spirit under his belt, he is truly a living legend. Renowned for his ability to write on a chalkboard backwards, his particular way of folding papers vertically, and his strange grading system of “Fletch points,” Fletch has been a teacher, a colleague, a coach, a mentor, a Foxman, and a friend to so many. We honor his commitment, treasure his wisdom, and wish we had the words to thank him sufficiently for all of it. Mr. Fletcher has been teaching his whole life. “I wanted nothing to do with big business, nor was I ready to go to seminary (though I did talk to several bishops),” he explained. “I thought I might be able to do more as a teacher.” After four schools in ten years, Fletch came to EA from the East Coast with, he admitted, no great desire to be in the Midwest. “There was a job-opening,” he said in his matter-of-fact way. “But you know, I found that native Midwesterners are really nice people.” Thank goodness Fletch liked us, because few can picture Elgin Academy without him. “There is no teacher who wants the best for his students more than he does,” Mr. Hanford said. “He has taught them math and tennis and life lessons for that time and has never lost his passion. EA is so lucky that he came west all of those years ago!” Mr. Fletcher has taught all levels of math, from Algebra to Calculus and everything in between, including, he remembered with some dread, one year of surviving sixth-grade math. He has coached both boys’ and girls’ tennis over the years, led the JETS (the precursor to WYSE) team to many victories, and is the arbiter of the Edwards Hall bells. He has weathered the baffled looks of Pre-Calculus students and several Hilltop snowstorms (not to mention a decade of 80s fashion), outlasted six Heads of School, and graded upwards of 1,500 Statistics exams. His astounding career at the Academy suggests some sort of superpower—he does, after all, possess “bionic ears” and a titanium hip—but what is truly indestructible about Fletch is his good heart. Many alums and faculty members wrote in to remember Fletch providing rides to school, sending birthday cards, helping with move-ins, and attending funerals. From a person’s first steps on campus, Mr. Fletcher is a uniting and welcoming presence. “He has a way of making all of us at EA feel like we belong to the same team,” Mrs. O’Neill said, “and it takes a very special and dedicated person to pull that off year after year.” And of course, it is nearly impossible to imagine an Elgin Academy Commencement at which Fred Fletcher was not present. As Heather Duncan-Whiteman ’90 wrote, “I think after all these years ‘Mr. Fletcher’ is practically synonymous with ‘Elgin Academy,’ at least for a lot of us. Rightly so. He features prominently in so many of our memories because he featured so prominently in our lives. Whether you were in his classroom or not (and I think most of us were, at some point!), you knew Fletch, and, remarkably, he knew you. He genuinely cared for us, as people. He still does.” Although he has witnessed the most change on the Hilltop—the comings and goings of faculty and staff, as well as the campus’s physical development (did you know that he lived in Sears Hall for seven years, back when the Academy operated as a boarding school, in what is now Mr. Harris’s science lab?)—Fletch insists that it certainly doesn’t feel like forty years have passed. The important things, his favorite things, have persisted: “I like dealing with the kids,” he said in a perfect summation of his vocation, “I really do.”

Bobbie NaborUS Biology

25 Years

Lori KemmlerKindergarten

10 Years

Gerald O’Keeffe (not pictured)Dir. of Operations & Finance

10 Years

Mary Ann SchumacherAdmissions Associate

10 Years

Suzy CeciEC/LS/MS

French & Spanish5 Years

Marie CinquemaniMS/US music

5 Years

Dianna Lafrenz (not pictured)Early Childhood

5 Years

Sharon WilliamsCollege CounselorUS Social Studies

15 Years

Lynn MartinUS Secretary/Registrar

5 Years

Faculty/Staff Service Anniversaries

EA Traditions: Extravaganza


Curriculum HighlightUPPER SCHOOL ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM

As the weather warms, dozens of Upper School students are revving their mental engines for a two-week string of tests—the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The College Board’s AP Program is a nationwide program that provides high school students the opportunity to study college-level material in their classrooms and accordingly demonstrate their mastery on administered examinations each spring.

The tests that mark the completion of the Advanced Placement program measure the breadth and depth of understanding in specific subjects. Armed with the unmatchable guidance and instruction of Elgin Academy teachers, as Seth Hanford, Upper School Director, explains, “The AP tests demonstrate the ability of a student to apply their whole experience of a subject in the curriculum.” The unique advantage of the AP program, Mr. Hanford continues, is that “while the ACT and SAT can highlight how smart a student is, they can’t promise how dedicated a student is to really learning. The AP exams, which are subject specific, reveal an impressive level of commitment and showcase the student’s comprehensive education.” The exams serve as measuring sticks for college readiness as well. Because they are standardized, they offer a means of comparison for students aspiring to admission and scholarship at competitive institutions. AP scores serve as another way to stand out in the college admissions process by demonstrating diligence, passion, and a broad range of interests.

The AP courses and exams have benefits beyond an attractive high school transcript, however. The exams are scored on a 5-point scale and many colleges offer course credits to students who earn a score of 3 or higher. Each exam is developed by a committee

of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that they are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation's leading liberal arts and research institutions. More than 3,600 colleges and universities annually receive AP grades. More than 90% of four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or placement for qualifying exam grades, allowing students to take higher-level classes in college.

Elgin Academy offers Advanced Placement courses in American History, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, European History, Psychology, and Studio Art. Additionally, the program’s open enrollment policy allows interested students to prepare for any AP examination in the following fourteen subjects: Comparative Government and Politics, Computer Science, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, French Language, French Literature, Latin, Music Theory, Physics, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics, and U.S. Government and Politics. In classes with the “AP Prep Option,” any student is welcome to study for the examination, but Mr. Hanford stresses that AP preparation is very serious work. “We work closely with the students to determine which subjects they can and should study for. We absolutely encourage students to pursue these opportunities, but with purposefulness. These are big tests, and the Academy is dedicated to thorough preparation.”

Again and again, that preparation has paid off. Armed with the unmatchable guidance and instruction of their EA teachers, Upper School students perform outstandingly on the Advanced Placement exams. The graph below compares the Academy’s passage rate (i.e., percent of tests which received a score of 3 or higher) to the state and national averages.

77% 83% 85%

76% 66.5% 67% 67% 66%

60% 61% 60% 60%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2008 2009 2010 2011

AP Passage Rates, 2008-2011

Elgin Academy

Illinois

National

A “FAMILY” AFFAIR: THE HISTORY OF ExTRAVAGANzA

If Homecoming is the highlighted event of the year for Elgin Academy students, Extravaganza is the centerpiece of the EA parent’s celebration of school spirit. From a week of face paint to an evening of elegance, from competitive athletics to competitive bidding, Extravaganza is as much a tradition. The black-tie evening affair—consisting of dinner, music, and lively auctions—has long been a fixture on the school calendar and an institution of the Elgin Academy experience. But in the larger scope of the Academy’s history, Extravaganza is a young and ever-evolving event. As an independent school, Elgin Academy is completely privately funded and thus has had to seek effective ways of keeping an Academy education first-rate and affordable. Before Extravaganza was created, Elgin Academy was supported through major gifts and bequests from parents, trustees, and friends, and closed the gap between operation costs and funding from tuition through smaller fundraising events—such as banquets, balls, and dramatic productions. The effort was so successful, raising over $70,000, that Extravaganza has been renewed every year since, raising an average of $150,000 each year, and an average of $190,000 a year for the last decade. The result of tremendous hard work and dedication on the part of people who love EA, the journey has been nothing short of exciting.

From tigers to tuxedos, jazzy New Orleans to ancient Greece, the Victorian era to Arabian Nights, Extravaganza has transported attendees to dozens of time periods and locations. In 1984, for instance, the gym was transformed into a big top circus. Joyce Bauer, who worked Extravaganza in various capacities from 1987 through 1995, favored her first year, which was an All-American theme. “It was like a giant pep rally,” she recalled fondly. “The excitement was especially contagious that year.” Bauer co-chaired the event in 1992, after having worked Extravaganza for several years as the writer of the item catalog—a big job in itself, but a fun one, she insisted. One secret she shared: “The ladies who worked on the catalog would insert something scandalous in one of the entries every year; people would tear through the book to find it!” Although a creative way to inspire a thorough perusal of the items up for bid, by 1995 such remarks, Bauer assured, were left out. Alongside co-chair Laura Anderson, Bauer witnessed the most dramatic development Extravaganza had experienced to date: 1992 was the year the event was officially moved out of the Academy’s Gymnasium to a larger venue, Schaumburg’s Marriott hotel. Bauer noted that what most changed with the move was the level of participation. “It took a lot of volunteers to convert the Gym into an unrecognizable space—we brought in electricity, set up

Every year, a number of EA students are recognized by the College Board for AP excellence. In 2011, about 18% of the more than 1.7 million students worldwide who took AP exams performed at a sufficiently high level to earn an AP Scholar Award; at Elgin Academy, 35% of the students in the classes of 2011 and 2012 earned the designation of AP Scholar in recognition of their exceptional achievement: six AP Scholars, four AP Scholars with Honor, and nine AP Scholars with Distinction. This spring, forty-six juniors and seniors took a collective 110 exams, spanning fifteen subject areas. “We have an enormously driven and talented student body,” Hanford commented. “The results of the AP exams grow more impressive every year.” Special thanks to Seth Hanford and Lynn Martin for their invaluable contributions, mathematical and otherwise, to this article.

16 EA TODAY

booths, had the meal catered in and cooked in a tent. We needed people to decorate, bring in chairs, set the tables, and there was a constant parade of students carrying items from the office to the Gym. When we moved to a hotel, we no longer had to be the ones to fold hundreds of napkins!” The move was economical as well, Bauer noted. “I believe we were able to spend more of our budget on decorations when we switched venues.” The theme that year, Bauer recalled, was “The Discovery of Columbus” in honor of the 500th anniversary of the first of Christopher Columbus’s voyages to America. Items ranged from the luxurious (a vacation in Greece or Maui), to the rare (a basketball autographed by Michael Jordan), to the delightfully indulgent (a year’s supply of ice cream). Bauer’s favorite memory of her year was competing with a student for a soft-sculpture flamingo, and the exhilaration she felt when the booth closed and she’d been the last name on the bidding sheet. “That’s what makes auctions fun—when it’s down to two people who want it more than anyone else.” Bauer, who also served with the Elgin Academy Parent Association, emphasized that the philosophy behind any Academy fundraiser was “raising friends as much as funds.” Extravaganza, especially in the early days with many of the same parents working consecutive years, had the natural outcome of fostering lasting friendships between the volunteers. “Working so hard to pull off an elaborate event, your life becomes entwined with those of the other parents.” It was more than “just business,” Bauer said, these were relationships that persisted long after the night of the event. Anderson, who led Extravaganza for twenty-five years, expressed the same appreciation for its community-building effect. “You build an amazing span of friendships. You get to watch the children of fellow parents grow up, you get to know the teachers your own kids love so well, and all of this with other passionate parents. Elgin Academy really is a family. Extravaganza is one of the best demonstrations of, and nurturers of, that community.” Deri Gray, who chaired Extravaganza in 2000, agreed: “It’s an inclusive effort, where parents come together to rally for their school.” Gray added that she especially loved interacting with the teachers. “They would do anything for their school, and their passion and support is the best reminder of how much Extravaganza is a family affair.” Diane and John Weck ’73, the 2003 chairs, advocated that same appreciation with their theme “The Year of the Teacher.” Theirs was the first year to feature a spot auction for the Faculty Compensation Endowment during the live auction. At $20,000, the support generated for the teachers was enormously successful, and the tradition has happily continued. That wasn’t the only bit of excitement that evening, however. “We were just beginning to get computerized that year,” John Weck remembered. “During check-out, the system crashed and we had to process the guests manually. We kept the bar open.” But for all the stress, Weck insisted that the event was “well worth doing. We were astounded by people’s generosity that first year, and so pleased to be able to make a tangible contribution to that fund. Everything and everyone came together so nicely. I have fond memories of EA. It’s very high on my list.” According to Anderson, who served as the Oral Auction, Acquisitions, and Advertising Chair for Extravaganza from 1986 to 2011, “Extravaganza is so much fun, and a wonderful way to show appreciation for the place that shapes and nurtures our children.” While she may have held a role more heavily dictated by numbers than others, her vision, and the Academy’s, was always larger than simply meeting a financial goal. “We want to maintain a tuition that makes EA accessible. We want our kids’ experiences for others. There is a real reward to be had when we work to expand the opportunities the Academy can provide.” Extravaganza Today

Elgin Academy has always succeeded in marrying revered traditions with modern innovation. Extravaganza is no exception. For the first time in 2011, Extravaganza included an online auction, an expansion initiated by EA parent Margie Ward. “Extravaganza is a wonderfully fun school-wide event, and we want everyone who wishes to be involved to have the opportunity. The online

component of Extravaganza allows us to branch out to alumni, friends, grandparents—anyone who is interested in supporting the school but unable to attend the specific night.” 2012 witnessed a greater incorporation of interactive technology aspects into the evening’s festivities. In response to resounding positive feedback to the previous year’s addition of an online auction, the Extravaganza XXXV committee expanded those offerings. Up for bid were exclusive items such as tickets to the San Diego Comic-Con International, EA student artwork, and an autographed Katy Perry guitar. Another “expansion” for this year came in the upgrade to BidPals during the silent auction portion of the evening. This new high-tech component allowed bids to be placed with handheld wireless devices instead of paper and pencil. Users could bid from anywhere and at any time, scroll through descriptions, and keep an eye on items of interest. Rather than wait in lines, guests could linger at the dinner table or mosey about the room freely. The change, aimed to increase efficiency and encourage more interaction among the guests, was received very well. Overall, it was another successful night, and a record number of funds were raised. Parents competed fiercely for coveted parking spots at graduation, as well as new iPads and other hot electronic items. The live auction also maintained its signature dynamism. “It’s a testament to the love that parents have for the Academy,” Director of Development Danese Bardot commented. “They know very well they could, for instance, simply run to their local electronic store, but they choose instead to compete—enthusiastically!—for these items, knowing that the money raised will benefit much-needed programs and scholarships at EA. We value their support so much.”

Tradition, Innovation, Excellence

Extravaganza’s continued success holds no mystery. The combination of entertainment and friendly competition makes for an event that is both sophisticated and accessible. The auctions offer a range of items, from vacation home rentals in exotic locations to gift certificates for local car washes, and the enthusiasm for the Academy’s mission and community is contagious. In bringing together parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the Academy, Extravaganza is as much a family reunion as it is a fundraiser. Though the times and technology may be changing, our vision remains unchanged: Extravaganza will forever be rooted in a love for community.

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EA TODAY 19 EA TODAY 19

2011 - 2012

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Curriculum HighlightLOWER SCHOOL WORLD LANGUAGE STUDIES

“Learning a foreign language prepares and enables students to be part of the world.”—Suzy Ceci, LS French & Spanish

World language studies at Elgin Academy begin in the Early Childhood classroom. “When the children are exposed to a new language at an early age, they face fewer hindrances,” says Suzy Ceci, who teaches French for Elgin Academy’s preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten classes, as well as Spanish for grades 1–4. “They accept it much more readily without getting wrapped up in translating.” From those initial introductions and throughout a student’s Lower School experience, the emphasis remains on spoken communication, connecting the content of the foreign language courses with the curriculum in other classrooms and promoting real-life application. “Language acquisition happens through repetition and application,” says Ms. Ceci. Heather Cannon, who teaches LS French for grades 1–4, adds that constant use of the language is what builds confidence. “When students realize how much they can express, they get excited about it, and the growth happens naturally. We are always building on our basics in creative ways.” The preschool and prekindergarten classes are first introduced to French. With the aid of songs, funny faces, and basic vocabulary, the young students are encouraged to, above all, explore. By the time a student is in kindergarten, he or she anticipates interaction with the new language. Beginning in first grade, students have the option to switch to Spanish classes. Lower School language studies build on students’ working knowledge of the language. Practicing everyday questions builds familiarity and fluid understanding. Through art, song, dance, stories, and games, students are taught to synthesize their knowledge of various subjects to describe the world around them. Ms. Cannon notes that partner work promotes interaction with other students, from whom they learn as much as they do from the teachers. Both classes encompass lessons of history and culture. For example, In Ms. Cannon’s classes, for example, students complete several skit-writing assignments; one of the highlights of second-grade French is a large nutrition unit, where students compose restaurant skits and learn about a cornerstone of the French culture—the food! French students also experience a gardening unit that dovetails into a study of the Impressionists. Ms. Ceci’s third-grade students describe their hometowns and go global with a geography unit. In the final year of Lower School, the fourth grade world language classes focus on cultivating an intuitive knowledge of the language as well as introducing more complex questions. Students are taken deeper into structural elements of the language, practicing simple verb conjugation, evaluating the finer points of pronunciation, and performing many reading and writing assignments to prepare for continuing studies in Middle School. Books, magazines, and interactive websites serve as important learning tools. In these formative years, we build a solid foundation that will allow our students to attain extraordinary fluency by the time they reach Upper School levels. Many students, in fact, take on a second or third language over the course of their studies at Elgin Academy. It all starts in North Hall— where conversation is key.

On the Walls of the Academy:

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Jennifer Byers ’05 Saunders is returning to old haunts. Recently nominated as Chair of the Elgin Academy Alumni Advisory Board, Saunders views this opportunity as a fitting means of giving back to the school so integral to shaping her person and career.

When asked about her Elgin Academy experience, Saunders remembered the friends and mentors she found in her classmates and teachers—from afternoons with the Upper School girls’ tennis team, to painting class with Mr. Stuart, to mornings in Ms. Merrill’s advisory. One particularly vivid memory was that of her AP European History class with Ms. Petraitis her senior year. “There were only seven or eight of us in the class, so we really bonded. Not only did we have great discussions, but we would even get together on the weekends to do European history–related things! Really nerdy, but really wonderful.”

Saunders’s academic enthusiasm persisted. After graduating from the Academy in 2005, Saunders attended Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. “The transition was very easy,” she recalled. “I was better prepared than many of my classmates—not just in terms of my note-taking abilities and

time-management skills, but I also wasn’t fazed by the level of work expected.” In addition to a Spanish degree, she pursued her love of history with a major in Political Science.

A well-rounded student at Elgin Academy, Saunders was equally diverse in her pursuits in college. She joined the sorority Alpha Chi Omega, participated in Model United Nations, and worked as a tour guide—a role she had previously enjoyed at Elgin Academy. Saunders was also one of the lucky few freshman invited to take part in a service trip to Nicaragua with the Bucknell Brigade—a campus group committed to aiding the poverty-stricken people of Nueva Vida by raising funds, collecting donations, and making two service trips a year. Saunders attributed her selection to this competitive opportunity to her heavy involvement and demonstrative accolades in community service at EA. “I stood out because of all I had already done in conjunction with the Academy’s service efforts,” Saunders said. “They knew I was serious about it.”

On graduating from Bucknell in 2009, Saunders secured a part-time position with a non-profit, employing her Spanish with students learning English as a second language as she looked for more sustainable employment. “I knew when I graduated that I wanted to work in higher education,” said Saunders. “I had been involved in the Admissions Office for years—first as a tour guide for Elgin Academy, and then at Bucknell. I enjoyed talking about the school I loved and helping prospective families through the process. ” Saunders’s inclinations made her a perfect fit for the recruiting position she obtained at DePauw University in Indiana. As an Admissions Counselor, Saunders visited high schools and represented DePauw at college fairs to engage students about the university. She later added DePauw admissions events to her list of responsibilities. In the summer of 2011, life took some major turns. Relocating to the Chicago area, Saunders returned from her August honeymoon just in time to jump into the travel season for her work before beginning her MS in Communication at Northwestern University. “I moved to a new place, accepted a new position, got married, and started graduate school all in two months!”

Saunders found herself back in Edwards Hall, speaking to Elgin Academy students about DePauw and the college search. Approached to be the chair of the Alumni Advisory Board, whose mission is to assist the Academy in the development and maintenance of alumni programming, Saunders accepted. Time and distance, she acknowledged, bring perspective—the realization of how crucially the Academy had shaped her inspired Saunders to take on the role. “When you’re in high school, it’s easy to feel the smallness of the community and wish you were elsewhere. But after college, as I found myself transitioning into the professional world, I was able to reflect on what EA did for me, how they made me a successful person. Had I attended a different school, I don’t think I would be where I am—or who I am—today. This was a way to give back.”

What does “giving back” look like for Saunders? “I want to help younger alumni appreciate the opportunities Elgin Academy has given them, to assure them, ‘Maybe not now, but in a couple years, you’ll really value all that EA did for you.’ I want to encourage alumni involvement with the EA community, to promote awareness of what’s happening on campus, and to sustain connections between alumni.” Among plans to facilitate alumni events, inspire more volunteers within the alumni network, and perhaps produce an alumni newsletter, Saunders aims to improve the online community as well. Jennifer Saunders’s vision can be summed up as an open invitation to reconnect. “Even if they haven’t been connected in years,” she promised, “they’re always welcome back.”

Distinguished AlumniELGIN ACADEMY VETERANSAdapted from a speech by Dr. John W. Cooper, 2009. Many thanks to former Elgin Academy Curator John Weck ’73 for his research.

From its earliest days, Elgin Academy has witnessed many men and women serve honorably in our military, in peacetime as well as during war. It is a proud history—hundreds of faculty members, students, trustees, and administrators who dedicated themselves to the service of their country. The following profiles highlight but a few of the many stories the Academy has to share in this regard.

The Civil WarElgin Academy was chartered in 1839, just a few years after Elgin was settled. The first classes began in Old Main in the fall of 1856, and in the fifth school year, a series of events rocked the nation and the Academy. April 12, 1861, marked the beginning of the Civil War with the Battle of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The bell atop Old Main—the same bell that sits today in front of the Elgin Academy Gymnasium—announced the grim news to Elgin residents, and answering the call of that bell were many Elginites. Of the many “Fox River Boys,” who served in the Civil War, there were 153 students, teachers, administrators, and trustees of Elgin Academy; some left the Academy to go off to the war, and some who had served in the war were later associated with the school. Private Edward Barker was killed in action on April 6, 1862, at the Battle of Shiloh, which claimed more than 13,000 Union casualties. Student Louis Tourtelott of Dundee managed to avoid death on a battlefield only to die of typhoid fever aboard the hospital transport ship City of Memphis. Tourtelott, among the 6,000 Illinois men who would perish from disease or wounds during the Vicksburg Campaign, was returning home for treatment when he died on March 20, 1863. Another Academy student, Leverett Kelley, rose to the rank of sergeant in Company A of the 36th Illinois Infantry. During the Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863, according to official records, Kelley “sprang over the works [i.e., the barricades] just captured from the enemy, and calling upon his comrades to follow, rushed forward in the face of a deadly fire and was among the first over the works on the summit, where he compelled the surrender of a Confederate officer and received his sword.” For this heroic action Kelley was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Later promoted to captain, Kelley saw action in seventeen major battles during the war. He died April 9, 1924, at the age of 83, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

World War I and World War IIAs history rolled on, many more sons and daughters of the Academy served their country with distinction.

Jennifer Byers ’05 SaundersChicago Regional Assistant Directorat Depauw University

Distinguished Alumni

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Post-WWII

David Hessler ’55 was a photo reconnaissance specialist with the Navy in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis. His photos of merchant marine traffic in the Caribbean were sent immediately to Washington D.C. for President Kennedy’s review.

Wayne Marshall ’65 was a U.S. Marine Corps pilot with a 23-year career in the Corps, including service in Vietnam with the 9th Marines, Delta Company, as a forward air controller. Marshall flew the A-4 Skyhawk for 20 years.

PAST AND PRESENT - THE ACADEMY SALUTESToday there are several young men and women serving in the U.S. military who are alumni of Elgin Academy, including some who were former students at Summit Academy before it became part of EA. We honor all of those serving today as well as those who have served in the past. They have given us a legacy of which we are extremely proud and by which we are deeply inspired.

Captain Earl Leinbach, who served as Elgin Academy’s Headmaster from 1936 to 1943, served first in Europe during WWI. “Cap” Leinbach was assigned to wear civilian clothing and to infiltrate behind German lines. To be a spy was a particularly dangerous assignment; if caught, one would not simply be subject to the difficulties of life as a prisoner of war—one was instead executed. Cap Leinbach was indeed caught and sentenced to die by firing squad, but miraculously managed to escape his captors at the last minute. Following service in WWI, Cap Leinbach became a teacher at the Choate School, a private boarding school in Connecticut, where he became the most influential teacher of a young student named John F. Kennedy. Whereas JFK’s brother Joe, who would later die in WWII, was an outstanding student at Choate, the future President of the United States suffered by comparison. The faculty was ready to expell Jack Kennedy when Cap Leinbach, his teacher and dorm parent, spoke up for the boy. Leinbach prevailed upon his colleagues to give Jack Kennedy another chance; he was not disappointed. Kennedy graduated from Choate, went on to distinguish himself in combat during WWII, and became our nation’s 35th president. Meanwhile, Cap Leinbach and his family moved from Wallingford, Connecticut, to Elgin, Illinois, where Headmaster Leinbach led the Academy for eight years.

The World War II generation was just as remarkable, and many veterans came from the ranks of Elgin Academy.

The 1945 edition of the Academy’s yearbook lists the names of 300 faculty and students who served in WWII, seven of whom were killed in action. Among the fallen was Warren Burgess ’41, a torpedo bomber pilot on the USS Princeton, killed in 1944 during takeoff with a fully loaded plane.

Norman Achen ’39 was a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot, whose fascination with flying began when, as a seven-year-old boy living in California’s Sonora Desert, Amelia Earhart made an unscheduled landing just a few hundred yards from his home. After graduating from Elgin Academy, Achen enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force. He was deployed to England to join the 4th Fighter Group, later known as the famous Eagle Squadron. After flying many successful missions, Achen’s P-51 was shot down over Nazi Germany. He was captured, interrogated, and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. After eight months of horror, starvation, and long, bitter marches between prisons, Achen and a fellow prisoner finally escaped and for fifteen days evaded capture until they stumbled on General George Patton’s advancing Third Army. Norm Achen readily asserted that his years at Elgin Academy helped instill the character and tenacity that allowed him to become such a fighter and survivor in the midst of a terrible war. Achen worked as an attorney, judge, and business executive in California. In 2007, he published Go With God, which chronicles his experiences as WWII pilot, his capture, and his escape. He passed away on February 17, 2010.

James William Newcomer served as Chair of the English Department and Assistant Headmaster between 1937 and 1942. He went on to fight in the five battles of northern Europe in WWII—the Normandy invasion, the race across France, the Battle of the Bulge, the crossing of the Rhine, and the capitulation of Germany—while serving as a first lieutenant in General Patton’s Third Army. Dr. Newcomer also participated in the two liberations of Luxembourg, and his interest and experience inspired him to write The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: The Evolution of Nationhood, the first complete history of the country in English, published in 1984. In recognition of his contribution, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg bestowed upon him the honor of Commander, Order of Merit, in 1995. Poet and historian, Dr. Newcomer was also active in the American Conference of Irish Studies. He enjoyed a successful career as an educator, administrator, and author, retiring in 1987 as Vice Chancellor Emeritus from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. On March 14, 2012, Dr. Newcomer celebrated his 100th birthday!

Ivan Pavlin ’50 served as an intelligence officer during the wars in Korea and Vietnam. He retired in 1979 as an Army colonel after a 22-year career that included earning two Bronze Stars. Pavlin moved to Florida, where in 1982 he co-founded Adopt-A-Family of Manatee County, a nonprofit agency which helps low-income families receive Christmas gifts. Pavlin was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in December of 2008.


5Excellent Reasons


Make Elgin Academy Part of Your LegacyFor Elgin Academy, endowments represent a long-term investment that ensures secure, perpetual income. By making Elgin Academy the beneficiary of your will or revocable trust and designating this future gift to any of our endowments, you will help guarantee our financial strength tomorrow without affecting your family’s financial stability today. The endowment principal remains untouched; the interest generated is reinvested and/or disbursed in accordance with the investment and spending policy of Elgin Academy for the purpose designated by the benefactor—such as faculty compensation, tuition assistance for students, programmatic support for faculty, or maintenance support for the Harold D. Rider Family Media, Science, and Fine Arts Center.

Additional Property Gifts to Invest in EA EndowmentsYou can direct a percentage or the entire amount of any Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) you own to Elgin Academy. By making a gift of an IRA to the Academy, you can remove the tax liability. Although individuals must pay income tax on the income received each year from an IRA, nonprofit organizations like Elgin Academy do not. The value of the IRA is also deducted from your taxable base. Because there is no reduction in value for payment of either income or estate taxes, you maximize the benefit of your IRA assets. You may also consider donating a life insurance policy by designating Elgin Academy as the owner and beneficiary, and transferring possession of the policy to EA. When ownership and possession of the policy is transferred to the Academy, the value is removed from your estate, and you may receive a charitable deduction in the year that the gift was made.

Elgin Academy is grateful for every gift that builds our endowments. If you have included a gift in your estate plan, please let us know today. You’ll give us the chance to thank you appropriately. We’ll proudly list your name to encourage others to give, or keep it anonymous if you prefer.

For additional information on giving to Elgin Academy, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at (847) 695-0309, ext. 226. The information provided in this article is not intended as legal advice. Please consult your legal and professional tax advisor.

You can still give! Support your teachers by giving to the Faculty/Staff Compensation Endowment Fund.

Text “ELGIN your name $pledge” to 313131.

Donations may be as small as $10 and aslarge as $30.

Texts for Teachers

Investing in EA

1. Your donation improves the quality of education that each student receives and helps prepare the next generation of Elgin Academy alumni. The EA Annual Fund is applied across the budget to purchase computers and classroom equipment, assist programs in athletics and the visual and performing arts, and grow our extracurricular activities. It also helps maintain safe and inviting campus facilities and fund continuing education for teachers.

2. Tuition and fees do not cover the full cost of an EA education. Along with endowment and interest income, the Annual Fund helps close that gap by encompassing the remaining costs.

3. Our students benefit from a legacy of generosity. Every Academy student receives this partial "scholarship" and each graduate has been the beneficiary of this generosity.

4. Contributions are tax-deductible. A donation helps the Academy, and an individual's total tax liability can be reduced with a contribution.

5. Regardless of size, every gift is important. When corporations and foundations consider supporting Elgin Academy, they often look at the number of donors rather than the size of the contributions.

to Invest in EA

For more information on giving to Elgin Academy, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, (847) 695-0309 Ext. 226. Give online at www.elginacademy.org

In Memoriam


Parent Opportunities to VolunteerWe are very grateful to have such an outstanding troop of parents dedicated to facilitating the Academy experience for our students. There are a myriad of ways to become involved, and a good place to start may be with our two most prominent parent organizations.

ELGIN ACADEMY PARENT ASSOCIATIONThe Elgin Academy Parent Association (EAPA) is dedicated to promoting school unity, encouraging parent understanding of Academy objectives, and enabling parents to be of service to the school. All parents of EA are automatically members of the EAPA, which means that all are invited to attend the monthly meetings in Sears Hall and to join the wide variety of EAPA activities. It’s easy to find your niche among the EAPA’s many volunteer opportunities, for example…

Fundraising Activities: The fundraising projects sponsored by the Parent Association pay for special activities and purchases. Every year the Association purchases needed equipment chosen from a wish list compiled by the faculty and administration. In the past these items have included new playground equipment for the Lower School, a mini-bus, signs for campus buildings, and updated furniture and carpeting for the cafeteria. The Parent Association has also funded faculty enrichment activities during the summer.

Event Work: Each special event or activity has a corresponding chair and committee responsible for coordinating refreshments, decorations, and service. Typical duties include providing snacks, attending to the set up of the space, and other general aspects. Event-specific duties will be discussed with each committee member.

ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUBElgin Academy's Athletic Booster Club (ABC) was created in 2001 with the goal of promoting leadership skills, athletic excellence, lifelong health and fitness, school spirit, and sportsmanship within EA's athletic teams and programs. ABC also works to provide

support for the Athletic Department and EA coaches. All interested parents are welcome to attend the monthly meetings in the Rider Center. Two highlights of the Booster Club’s responsibilities include the ABC Golf Classic—an annual summertime hit, begun in 2005, the proceeds of which benefit the school’s athletic programs and facilities—and the Homecoming Festivities, such as the campus-wide EA apparel sales and the much-loved ABC Barbeque at the EA Athletic Fields.

To learn how you can join these and other parent committees, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at (847) 695-0309 ext. 226. We will be happy to provide you will more volunteering ideas and additional information. We also encourage you to visit the Parents page on Elgin Academy website.

DOROTHY “DOT” SULLIVAN ’32 JEVNE passed away March 20, 2012, at Peterson Meadows Retirement Community in Rockford, IL, just before her 98th birthday. During her years at Elgin Academy, Dorothy swam and wrote for the Hilltop yearbook as the Organizations Editor. She served as treasurer and president of the Aeichlorians and also participated in Girls Glee Club. After graduating from the Academy, Dorothy graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She was a member of Pi Lambda Theta, a national education honor society, and the Alpha Delta Phi sorority. In 1937, she married Paul W. Jevne and settled in Marengo, IL. She was a very dedicated member of her community: a member of the Marengo Woman’s Club, president of Marengo Home Circle, an elder of her local First Presbyterian Church, and president of the local United Presbyterian Women association. Dorothy served as a church school superintendent as well as a teacher, and during her husband’s service in WWII, she was able to keep his office open by working as a bookkeeper for the Garden Prairie Stone Co., Inc. After the death of her husband in 1989, she moved to Peterson Meadows in Rockford.

EUGENE “GENE” BUECHNER ’42 passed away on February 29, 2012. Gene played football, basketball, and baseball at Elgin Academy, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. During World War II, he spent three years in the Army in the European Theater. His career as a social worker in Kalamazoo continued in West Palm Beach in Child Protective Services. Upon retirement, he and his wife, Helen, enjoyed camping and traveling the continental forty-eight states in a recreational vehicle. Gene also enjoyed water sports, boating, and harbored a deep love of cars. He is remembered fondly by his family, including his wife, a son and daughter, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was buried at the South Florida National Cemetery on March 9.

NANCY LUTz ’60 HILLqUIST passed away September 24, 2009, at Sherman Hospital at the age of 66. During her time at Elgin Academy, Nancy was an excellent student, o a member of the Dramatics Club and the Aeichlorians, the class treasurer, and the Musart Club secretary. She received the Quill and Scroll Award for Publications, having served on the Orange and Black yearbook staff all four years of high school. Nancy attended Illinois Wesleyan, completed an internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, and graduated with a bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics. She worked for nearly thirty years at Sherman Hospital as a registered and licensed dietitian as well as a therapeutic, clinical, community, and diabetes educator. She was active in Sherman’s Halloween safety fairs. She developed and taught many health education classes. Nancy then worked at Elgin Community College from 1990 through 2008 as a nutrition instructor. She was an avid gardener and very devoted to her friends and family.

D. SCOTT MASON ’65 passed away on January 26, 2012, at the Hospice of Cincinnati, Ohio. Born in Troy, Ohio, Scott was a boarding student at Elgin Academy for two years, known for his friendly, good-natured personality. He was captain of swimming team, placing first in the 200-yrd freestyle in the Private School League Tournament his senior year. After graduating from the Academy, Scott attended the Central Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio, going on to become a graphic artist. He was also a U.S. Army veteran, serving as an engineer in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Scott was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Troy on February 1, and is survived by his wife, sisters and brothers-in-law, many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, stepchildren, and step-grandchildren.


Class NotesClass Notes from the `40sPeggy McCracken Straw ’46 is now living at Riverwoods, a Continuing Care Community in Exeter, NH, but she also has a condo in Melbourne Beach and maintains the ski chalet in Franconia. She often sees cousins Bob and Caryll Kenyon in Vero Beach. Bob attended seventh grade at the Academy in 1941–42; he has eighteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren to Peggy's eight and none. Must be the Midwestern air!

Class Notes from the `60sPaul Brian Warhanik ’69 visited Forward Operating Base Ghazni in southeast Afghanistan as a member of both the U.S. Army Civilian Advisory Board and the Operation Homefront, a group that cares for the families of deployed troops and wounded warriors. He got to practice sand wedge shots with Larry Mersereau ’69. He notes that it’s difficult to swing a club well with body armor on.

Class Notes from the `70sCandy Evans ’72 is a wild blogger in Dallas, Texas. After years of magazine journalism, and launching a real estate site for D Magazine, she believes web media is the only place to be. Candy spent 10 years at D Magazine and had a stint at AOL Real Estate prior to the HuffPost merger. (This, of course, after raising two children, one of whom is married and practicing law in Dallas, while the other is engaged and working for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Menlo Park, CA.) Now she has two popular sites: www.SecondShelters.com for second home buyers, and www.CandysDirt.com for North Texas real estate online information. She hopes you’ll tune in!

Class Notes from the `80sStephen L. Davidow ’82 is completing his MBA in Health Care

Management at Loyola University Chicago this July. He is traveling to Rio di Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos Aries, Argentina, to study health care systems and businesses with a focus on medical tourism in May. His son Michael is now four years old and his daughter Delia is 18 months.

Jimmy Liautaud ’82 splits his time between Florida and Champaign, Illinois. The kids are 18, 13, and 12, and Jimmy himself is working on being healthy and living life at 48. All is well at Jimmy John’s, and he speaks to tiny Dijon and Bill Skok every so often. In short, life is good!

David Dickens ’83 is the owner of Dickens Enterprises, Inc., and has just launched his latest of three companies, Eco Applicators, LLC. Eco Applicators uses OxiTitan, the light-activated preventive Antimicrobial treatment that works 24/7/365 to remove pathogens.

Robert Strand ’86 joined IMG last fall as Vice President of Licensing, managing the partnership between IMG— the global brand licensing, sports, fashion, and media company— and WPP, the world’s leading communications services group. IMG brings brand licensing as a capability to WPP agencies and their clients. Robert lives in New York with his partner of 18 years, Gregg Siegel.

Class Notes from the `90sGeorge z. Nahra ’94 recently came back to Abercrombie & Fitch (based just outside of Columbus, OH) to build a strategic planning function. The "department" is currently just him and an analyst, but he hopes to add several new hires as soon as he builds his team. He returned to A&F after a few years at a hedge fund in Connecticut (Bridgewater Associates), a consulting company in Chicago (McKinsey & Co.), and business school in Philadelphia (Wharton).

Richard Jablonowski ’95 (featured on our cover) traveled to Tanzania in 2011 with the Drake University football team. Drake made history by playing (and winning) the first American college football game on the continent of Africa, against Mexico’s CONADEIP All-Stars, at the inaugural Kilimanjaro Bowl on May 21, 2011. But more importantly, the group volunteered their time building and repairing local schools and orphanages near the villages of Moshi and Arusha, and visiting with the children. They also participated in a football clinic for local youth and had the opportunity to experience a safari. The trip culminated in an event that fulfilled a twenty-year dream for Rich—scaling the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, where he proudly displayed an EA flag with his friend Vinaya Sharma. Rich graduated from the Chicago Junior School in ’91, EA in ’95, and Drake in ’99. He is Chief Investment Strategist with RJ Financial.

Julie Rusniak ’99 will marry Michel Jacques on June 30, 2012. Michel is a chef at Michigan Shores Country Club, and Julie is a licensed clinical social worker at Lake Zurich High School.

Class Notes from the 2000sAfter five years of corporate work with one of the leading architectural/engineering companies in Chicago, Osman “Oz” Aslam ’01 started his own business venture: Franc Lloyd, Inc., a

world-class custom menswear service—“suit architects.” Within half a year, the company has acquired clients in all major U.S. cities and is now looking to expand overseas. They’ve been featured on ChicagoNow and various other media/internet outlets. Osman is especially proud that the company gives back to the community by auctioning off suits to support after-school music programs for Chicago’s underprivileged children from chronically poor neighborhoods. Franc Lloyd also supports emerging college student designers. Last year, Osman married Divya Gulati, whom he met during freshman orientation at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Mark Moller ’01 finished his MBA at DePaul last summer and took a position with PNC's Financial Services in Pittsburgh. His focus is PNC’s Seniors Housing/Assisted Living finance initiatives, which include new construction and acquisition. In that capacity, Mark travels to various locations throughout the country conducting marketing analysis on those projects.

Mattie Whipple ’01 is currently working for an amazing start up, Braintree, as their head of Human Resources. She can also be seen in a national commercial for match.com! Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKbuZOTmCfc to see the footage. (No, she says, the date didn't work out.)

Elise Edwards ’02 received her MA in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University this spring. She works for the U.S. Department of State and has served overseas in Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Iraq, as well as two years on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's advance team. She currently lives and works in Washington D.C.

Vasili Karas ’02 is continuing his medical studies in Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Vasili was a pre-med major at the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 2006. He

is currently a medical student at Rush University Medical Center, where he was a Sports Medicine Student Research Fellow at Midwest Orthopaedics.

Kim Farbota ’05 will be receiving her Ph.D. in Neuroscience this spring from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Beginning in the fall, Kim will be continuing her studies at Yale Law School.

Imran Uraizee ’05 had four published abstracts selected for presentation at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Conference in March. After completing his second year of medical school, Imran is presently a Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Associate in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Imran's research in Dr. Scott Solomon's cardiovascular lab is focused on evidence of cardiac strain and ventricular contractile dysfunction on echocardiography in hypertensive heart disease and in patients with Fabry's Disease. After this year of research, Imran will resume medical school at the University of Rochester. Imran also got to hang out with Dick Vitale at the ACC Tournament!

Michal Szpindor Watson ’06 was recently accepted to the Ph.D. program in Economics at George Mason University. Michael attended Indiana University and earned his master’s at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a member of the Polish American Congress (Illinois Division) and the Polish National Alliance. He and Marysia Szpindor Watson ’08 were honored to meet the former President of Poland, Lech Walesa in 2010. Marysia graduated this May with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Polish Studies and Neuroscience from Loyola University Chicago, where she was President of the Polish Student

Alliance. She is a certified EMT, planning to work in a hospital/ER setting and then pursue a career in medicine. She is also coordinating a leadership conference for young Polish-Americans that will be held at the end of August 2012.

Lisa Alvine ’07 will be teaching English in Spain for the next academic year as part of a teaching assistant program through the Spanish government. Lisa studied abroad in Granada in the spring of 2010 and graduated from Hope College in 2011.

Amy Alvine ’08 graduated from Hope College in May with a bachelor’s in Business Management and Political Science. She is excited to be moving to Scottsdale, Arizona to work as an Account Executive for Yelp. Her primary responsibilities will be in online advertising and working on expanding small local businesses throughout the United States.

Sara Kokkelenberg ’09 is studying International Relations and Russian Language and Area Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. She spent her junior year in St. Petersburg, Russia and traveled whenever possible. She visited the Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and Moscow, among others.

Class Notes from the 2010s

Raynette Bierman ’10 is currently a sophomore at the University of St. Andrew's in Scotland. Raynette spent her spring break climbing Buachaille


Etive Mor, one of the most recognizable mountains in Scotland. Desiree Dussard ’10 spent her spring break in Jackson, Mississippi, working with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild, renovate, and repair homes that have been damaged by recent hurricanes.

Morgan Lanier ’10 participated in Semester at Sea, an academic program sponsored by the University of Virginia, which combines the college learning experience with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail around the world. The ship serves as a “traveling campus,” allowing students, faculty, and lecturers to live and learn together while circumnavigating the globe.

Lauren Steimle ’10 is currently a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis and a member of the women's soccer team. Lauren and her team spent spring break in Italy, touring, training, and playing against Italian teams.

Maddy Stone ’10 interned with the Minnesota Children’s Museum in the Corporate and Foundation Grants division. As part of this very competitive internship, Maddy assisted the Development staff in submitting corporate and foundation grants. Her work included research, maintaining files, grant-writing, and learning about the local funding community. The Minnesota Children's Museum was voted Best Children’s Museum three years in a row by Nickelodeon’s Parents Connect and named one of Parents Magazine's 10 Best Children’s Museums in 2011! Maddy is a sophomore at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and plans to study abroad her spring semester of next year at King’s College in London.

Gizem Tunca ’10 has been busy studying Political Science at The George Washington University (GWU). Recently, Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, addressed GWU students about Turkish foreign policy. Gizem, through her connections as an intern with the Assembly of Turkish Americans Association (ATAA) and as President of GWU's Turkish Student Association (TSA), was part of the team of students who welcomed Davutoglu to the university's campus. Additionally, Gizem was recently accepted into the Portfolio Professionals Volunteer Program at the White House Office of Correspondence. She works in the Gift Department where she is privy to viewing all the gifts that are given to the First Family. She says that some of the "cooler" items she has come across have included personalized Air Jordans for the President, and a player's jersey signed by all the members of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Maddie Wadington ’10 is a sophomore at Colby College in Waterville, ME. This semester, Maddie continued her studies in Psychology while studying abroad in Paris.

Ryan Gould ’11 is currently attending Bradley University. During his first semester as a college freshman, Ryan found that the Peoria music scene was lacking, so he and a group of friends approached the University with an idea to enrich the local music scene. Bradley University has agreed to fund a grant allowing for the formation of Brave Sounds Entertainment, a student-run artist services company based at the University. This new company manages, promotes, and develops up-and-coming artists and gives students the opportunity to gain experience in technical affairs and the recording industry.

Fotini Karas ’11 is pursuing her love of dance as a member of Indiana University's competitive ballroom dance team Dancesport. The team offers its members the opportunity to learn and train with the help of professional coaches, and Dancesport competes often during the academic year.

Christian Lynn ’11 is a freshman at Bridgewater College. Christian spent his winter term in Greece, studying ancient and modern Greek culture. This "mini-mester," a fifteen-day course, combined travel with academic studies of literature, theater, art, and ancient history, providing an in-depth analysis of the historical and cultural roots of western culture, with special concern for religious and philosophical heritage. Christian is also enjoying great success with the Bridgewater College’s men's tennis team.

Christina Masnato ’11 finished her production assistant assignment for Don Giovanni at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and took on new challenges with Into the Woods as a wardrobe crew member, working the high-pressure Witch quick change. This change is done in an 8x8-foot box while the actress’s microphone is still on, and includes a wig swap as well as a change in prosthetics and makeup. Christina was also excited to take on an assistant stage manager assignment for a drama entitled Ulysses. She and the rest of the cast and crew had the privilege of interacting with the playwright, who came in multiple times to work with them.

Kacy Rauschenberger ’11 is a freshman at DePauw University. Kacy took advantage of Depauw’s Winter Term opportunities to travel to Southeast Asia, spending time in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos (formerly French Indochina) to study French Colonization and the Asian cultures of Indochina. Next year, she will spend the winter term in Kenya!

Save the Date!Homecoming 2013 will be September 28–30,

with the Alumni Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 29th!

The following classes will be celebrating their reunions:

1962,1987,2002,

and 2007.We also hope to see alumni from all classes!

Class of 1925Margaret Langhorst

Crawford

Class of 1930Karl Petersmeyer

Mary Hill Sinnock

Class of 1935Ruth Bingham Allen

Orville Fisher

Class of 1940Mark Alley

Audrey AndersonHarmon Burbury

Gordon BurkhardtStewart GilbertJack HeiermannDeane HintonJoan Johnson

Thomas KennellClifford Lessing

Marguerite MaherJohn McLean

Alletta MuntzWesley Piper

Donald Thackery

Class of 1945Roy Brown

Rose Buehler GrosseGloria Eicklor Joyce

William GossDorothy HiherleBruce McLoud

Jane Wright NorrisKay PetrickCurtis Pratt

Jane Tyson RutledgeVirginia Croxson

SchoonoverLogan Sellers

Fred WedderspoonJoe Weix

Class of 1950Richard BatesMary Johnson

Lloyd Montgomery

Robert SolomonRobert Sullivan

Lawrence Tarlow

Class of 1955Bruce ArmstrongVerne A Bender

Robert 'Bill' W. CrawfordDonna Dickey Strong Evelyn Dobbert Sadis

Richard GanzhornEdward MartensClifford Miller

Class of 1960Caesar AcevedoMike R BrownPhilip Ferris

Larry FulkersonLynn Bartholomew Gilbert

Stephen JaniscLynne Rodriguez Knight

Lionel MayhewKay Bender Meahl

Daniel Meier

Melinda ReisnerLinda Schuur

John Toggweiler

Class of 1965Sandra AtleeJames Basta

Celia Kirby BaumThomas BorthwickMarsha Ellis Cacci

John DanciuJill Reubens Durbin

Patrick GriffinMary Link Kimmel

Barry KopeckyThomas Reuter

Terry RoseJoeanne Creamer Schmidt

Christy SchumakerDouglas Setchell

Celeste Kantor SuarezFrederick TischerHarry WhiddenPaul B. Wobbe

Please Help Us Find Current Addresses for the Following Alumni


Alumni Weddings & New ArrivalsDANIELLE DANIELS '08 married Chicago Bears running back Matt Forté

in August, and the couple had a public ceremony and reception on Saturday, March 3,

at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. EA classmates Ange Gallitano, Soha zahir,

Amani Memon, Kyla Farquhar, Allison Clark, and Turner Wadington were present.

Also attending were faculty members Seth Hanford, Lynn Martin, Stephanie Merrill,

Kathy Rusniak, and Marie Cinquemani.

Oliver Beckett Anderson was born February 1, 2012 at 7:13 p.m. to CHRIS ANDERSON ’96 and BRANNON OGATA ’96 Anderson. Oliver weighed in at 7 pounds, 15 ounces. He

was welcomed home by 3½-year-old big sister Emmeline.

Class of 1970Lorenzo BennRudy BruehselRobert Burwell

Jack ButtittaPhillip Ceraulo

John ConeJohn DemlingVirginia DietzCynthia Evans

Edward GerrityRuta GiedraitisThomas HobanMark Hoffman Patricia KotsiasMichael LernerMichael LonieKathy KramerMartin Alice

Clark MeronekCatherine Basic Ostrowski

Brian ShanleySomboon TasnavilaivajSirivat Tavaviratburana

Siriwat ThewawiratburanakulSharon Whistle

Walton Christopher Wenham Frederick Wieland

Class of 1975Carla Baldo

Mary Fink BlankPhillip Cade

Craig ChristiansonWilliam GroeningsSylvia Hartpence

Tina HestromKimberly Walpole Hills

Richard JerseyJack JohnsonRandy LarsenSteven LassiterKevin Lootens

Michael MorganJohn Northington

Steven PerryJoan Gordinier Rogers

Ted RothPaul Sager

John StiversFranz Stockmann

Randy TaylorElizabeth Thomas

Thomas TwaiteClass of 1980

Matthew BonneTheodore Ferdinand

Stephen HoganDavid HotchnerMark Konicek

Class of 1985Bridjette Brown

Rachel Hartigan DeweyHeidi Stoetzel Earle

Douglas KensholBrooks Lewis

Shiri MandavaCarolyn McFeely

Elizabeth Rich ReardonKelley ShannonGina Sorrentino

Karyn Woltz

Class of 1990Frederick CainRakesh Khanna

Zoe Dillman McKellarErin Green Ptacek

Shayna RaymanMarissa Tran Small

Annemarie Morrissey YbarraErik Zolan

Tracy Zwick

Class of 1995Farzana Badruddoja

Katherine Regan GupmanCathryn Moore

Chase PrattDante Solano-Morlet

Mary Ann Wilson

Class of 2000Lena Anastasiades

Ryan AsherDaniel CaballeroAnindita GuhaDavid JensenRyan Kasnick

Matthew MorrisonPunitha Thamilavel

James Wooten

Class of 2005Emily Larsen

Rodney MosleyElaine Phillips

Thomas Sullens

Please Help Us Find Current Addresses for the Following AlumniJames William Newcomer

Born March 14, 1912

Revered Assistant Headmaster & English Chairat Elgin Academy, 1937-42

World War II VeteranAuthor, Educator, Administrator

Vice Chancellor Emeritus, Texas Christian University

We honor your legacy of leadership and wish you all the best on this memorable occasion!

With affection and gratitude,Elgin Academy

Mailing Block

My husband George and I are honored to serve as Co-Chairs of Extravaganza xxVI. We joined the Elgin Academy community when our daughter, Emma, enrolled in preschool. We quickly learned that an education at EA involved the whole family. The relationship we have with our daughters’ teachers, and the one-on-one attention our girls receive, is truly priceless! Through the years, we have served our school in many ways simply because we believe in Elgin Academy. We will continue to support our children, the faculty and staff, and the mission of EA in any way that we can.

- Danielle Smiley

Elgin Academy

Save the Date!EXTRAVAGANZA XXXVISaturday, March 16, 2013

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