Topher Grace ’97, Sargent Hall Productions Release Take Me Home Tonight
A Fulbright Scholar in the Arab World
Louder Than A Bomb Explodes at Brewster
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Students learned to evaluate, analyze, and discern and not just to follow the pack or the latest craze. Talk about preparation for life!
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Daniel T. Mudge, President(Tapley-Ann ’98, Ashley ’02)
Leslie N. H. MacLeod, Vice President(Todd ’97)
Roy C. Ballentine, Treasurer(Brian ’97, Susan ’94)
Helen S. Hamilton, Secretary
Michael Appe
C. Richard CarlsonEstate Trustee
David L. Carlson ’54
Arthur W. Coviello Jr.
Candace Crawshaw ’64
Claudine Curran(Alex ’06, Gen ’11)
George J. Dohrmann III (George ’05, Geoffrey ’12)
Stephen Farrell Sr.(Stephen Jr. ’12)
Peter Ford ’80
Douglas H. Greeff (Hilary ’11)
Michael Keys (Matthew ’04)
Barbara Naramore
Arthur O. RicciEstate Trustee
The Reverend Nancy Spencer SmithEstate Trustee
Steven R. Webster (Brooke ’08, Tori ’11)
A.B. Whitfield(Trey ’89)
Trustee Emeriti
Walter N. “Rink” DeWitt ’54 (Kate ’86)
P. Fred Gridley ’53 (Deborah ’81)
Grant M. Wilson (Grant ’87, Kirsten ’88)
BREWSTER ACADEMY
2010-2011Board of Trustees
Photo by Amy Misera ’12
Spring 2011
Inside
©2011 Brewster Academy. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Head of School
Director of Admission and External Affairs
Editor, Director of Communications
Contributors
Photography
Departments 12 Newsmakers14 On the Road26 Class Notes32 In Memoriam34 Writing Brewster’s History
2 Headlines It’s All About Relationships
3 Weston Sager ‘05: Fulbright Scholar Inspired by his Brewster classmates, a scholar attempts to understand the Arab world
6 Louder Than A Bomb Explodes on Campus Jon Siskel ’85 returned to campus for the screening of his latest award-winning film
8 Bobcat Nation Brewster teams and athletes continue to dominate; plus, where seniors will take their talents next year
10 Artists Among Us A sampling of artwork showcases the mediums and techniques students communicate and create within.
17 Hoopla Making Connections Work: Brewster Duos Prosper A look at Brewster connections in the professional world
25 How A Girl From Jamaica Survives Winter in Wolfeboro Winter survival advice from Ashley Rose ’11
Cover photo of Topher Grace ‘97 courtesy of Sargent Hall Productions
By Marlee Walker ‘11
By Alex Green ‘11
By Willie Kenyon ‘12
recently listened to Pat Bassett, president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS),
speak about the challenges facing independent schools in the realm of fund raising. While that’s not
the topic of this Connections Head Lines (although perhaps it will be in the near future), the context in
which he framed his remarks is important and timely. In his talk he made reference to what NAIS calls
the “markers of success” or those things that we can point to that distinguish and show the value of a Brewster
education. Naturally such a topic is of tremendous importance to us for a variety of reasons, not the least of
which is being able to talk about how we impact lives.
Without delving too far into his remarks, there is one marker of success that he spoke about that relates to
the theme of this issue of Connections and that’s about the impact of relationships that get developed while
at school and the value that these provide students attending Brewster. One of the benchmarks that we
pay close attention to is the rate of attrition, or the number of students who voluntarily leave the school,
either through the year or who do not return for the following academic year. The NAIS average for boarding
schools is around 8 percent while our attrition rate has consistently hovered around 4 percent. While we
make good matches at the front door during the admission process as to who is likely to succeed here and
who is not, much of the low attrition rate can be attributed to the kind of experience that students have once
they attend Brewster.
It’s the community that we have and the climate found here among the students, faculty, and staff that make
the difference. We see evidence of the power of positive relationships each week when students sit with their
advisors to reflect on the past week’s activities, both good and bad, and map out strategies for the coming
week. The resulting “weekly blog” to parents that outlines the discussion points between student and advisor
further solidifies the sense of community and importance of relationship building. The benefits of interactions
such as this extend well beyond the advisor meeting. There is a fair amount of research that supports the
development of positive relationships with significant others and the proposition that these interactions
are significant antecedents to adolescent’s ability to function effectively in social, affective, and academic
domains. Some of the research concludes that high-quality interpersonal relationships in students’ lives add
to their academic motivation, engagement, and achievement. Our experience would support this conclusion.
When we take these findings a step further and look at the relationships that also develop student to
student, and how often these translate into tremendous opportunities throughout life, we see outcomes
like you will be reading in the pages of this issue of Connections, lifelong associations that morph into
business partnerships. Taken in its entirety, it offers us more reason for why we would make a move into
the realm of emotional and social literacy, as we have. It is such an important dimension toward furthering
the development of relationships that we believe that we will have a clear opportunity to build off what is
already a powerful model and provide our students with an even greater leg up when it comes to how they
manage the connections between themselves and others throughout their lives. We hope to be able to tell
you more about our social and emotional literacy program over the next few months as we continue to bring
elements of the approach into the daily fabric of life at the school.
In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy the pages that follow and look forward to your continued connections
with Brewster.
Dr. Michael E. Cooper, Head of School
It’s All About Relationships
Research concludes that high-quality interpersonal relationships in students’
lives add to their academic motivation, engagement,
and achievement. Our experience would support
this conclusion.
native of Wakefield, New Hampshire,
Weston Sager ‘05 was a Brewster “lifer”
and valedictorian of his class. Sager had
spent his primary and middle school years at a small
school in his hometown. However, he credits the
diverse Brewster community as the principal factor
in helping him integrate himself comfortably into
college life.
“My fellow Brewster students were exceptional.
From them, I learned a great deal about how to
relax, have fun, and be social. I wouldn’t have made
nearly as many friends at Dartmouth had I not been
surrounded by such a diverse, supportive, and fun-
loving group in high school.”
“Academically, the AP courses I took at Brewster
prepared me well for the rigors of an Ivy League
education. In particular, my writing level as a
freshman was well above that of many of my
fellow Dartmouth students, due in large part to the
excellent tutelage of my former Brewster English
teachers, Jonathan Fouser and Mary Fallon. My other
courses were valuable as well, but the demanding
nature of my Brewster APs really gave me the
discipline and knowledge base necessary to thrive at
a school like Dartmouth.”
Following graduation, Sager headed across the state
to Dartmouth College fairly certain he would enroll
in Chinese, Korean, or Japanese classes due mainly
to the influence of his Asian friends at Brewster.
“I thoroughly enjoyed learning about East Asian
cultures from my classmates at Brewster, and I
wanted to continue this line of study. But when I
entered Dartmouth, I found the Arabic professors to
be more engaging and better teachers than those in
the East Asian languages department.”
Sager’s arrival as a freshman at Brewster preceded
the 9/11 attacks by two days, and while the event
did have an influence on his decision to study Arabic,
the desire to have the best language professors
ultimately compelled him to study the Arabic
language and culture.
Once at Dartmouth, his
roommate encouraged
Sager to enroll in an Arabic
language class. “John
inspired me to take Arabic
in the fall of my freshman
year. I went with him to an
Arabic/Chinese/Japanese
open house where I met my
college mentor, Professor
Jonathan Smolin. I enrolled
in this professor’s Arabic
course because he seemed
like a great teacher, and I
had been told to choose
courses by the professor –
not by the subject.”
“I ended up loving Arabic,
even though languages
had traditionally been my
weakest subject. Arabic was
more logic-based than other languages and suited
my strengths well.” Freshman year, Sager began
writing for The Dartmouth Review, a controversial
conservative newspaper. “I signed up for the paper
not so much because of its political leanings, but
because it was by far the best written publication
on campus. Its staff, though outlandish at times,
was great fun to be around. Many of my fondest
memories from freshman year came from meetings
at this newspaper. I wrote a number of stories
for them, and it became my major non-academic
activity.” In his senior year, Sager would become
business manager and publisher of the newspaper.
At the end of his freshman year, Sager travelled to
North Africa to participate in his first study abroad
program. He studied at the Arabic Language Institute
in Fez, Morocco, and he and his freshman roommate
lived with a traditional Moroccan family. “We
underwent rigorous Arabic training at the school, but
it had little practical use. Moroccans didn’t speak
Arabic per se. They spoke darija, a dialect that uses
Arabic characters and grammar, but has a vocabulary
Fulbright Scholar Weston Sager ’05Inspired by his Brewster Classmates, a Scholar Attempts to Understand the Arab World
comprised of French, Spanish, and Tamazight, or
Berber, as it more commonly known.”
“Arabic is a challenging, often frustrating language
– not so much because of the language itself,
but rather because of its limited use due to the
prevalence of country-specific dialects. Although I
studied classical Arabic for four consecutive years
at Dartmouth, I struggled mightily to communicate
even the most basic ideas to Moroccans. It was as
though I studied Latin for four years and then spoke
it to a modern-day Spaniard; he or she would sort
of understand what I was saying, but not really.
Not being able to use my language training was
disheartening to say the least, and no matter where
I travel in the Arab world, there will always be a
disconnect between the Arabic I learned and the
Arabic that is spoken.”
Arab CultureSager would return to the Arab world again his junior
year when he travelled to Kuwait for three months
to work as an intern in the student life office at the
American University of Kuwait.
Weston and Dartmouth friend in their Kuwaiti dishdashas.
Weston’s favorite fruit
vendor in Rabat.
“Arab culture is truly fascinating – and always
unexpectedly so. On one hand, I found Moroccans
and Kuwaitis to be, at their cores, almost
indistinguishable from Americans. Like Americans,
they value family, hard work, and professional
success. They were also exceedingly welcoming to
foreigners from America and Europe, but admittedly
less so to those from places such as sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia.
“In other ways, though, they could not have
been more different from Americans. The way
they approached education, for example, was
diametrically opposed to the American system.
Bribing teachers was commonplace, and ‘critical
thinking’ was almost nonexistent. Other areas were
also quite dissimilar. Sexism, racism, and religious
discrimination were not only widespread but
encouraged in these countries. It was not uncommon
to read newspaper articles that blamed Jews for
all manner of cultural misfortunes – even natural
disasters. It was this simultaneous similarity and
difference that really grabbed my attention. In my
career, I hope to delve further into these cultures so I
can learn more about their complexities.”
The summer before his senior year at Dartmouth,
Sager worked at the Hudson Institute, a politically
centrist think tank in Washington, D.C. He interned
for Zeyno Baran, a Turkish scholar, in the Center for
Eurasian Policy. “It was a timely position to hold, as
that summer Russia invaded Georgia. They definitely
got their money’s worth from my unpaid internship.”
Back at Dartmouth that fall, Sager applied for a
Fulbright Scholarship to Morocco, specifically to
study how Arabian Peninsula nations were portrayed
in Moroccan newspapers, “arguably the freest and
most rapidly developing press in the Arab world.”
Something else happened his senior year that Sager
considers equally significant to his career path. He
began serving as president of The Dartmouth Review.
“It was a difficult time to lead the newspaper, as it
was the start of the ‘great recession’ and newspapers
were dropping left and right. But I managed to
rescue The Review from going under, due mostly to
logging in ungodly hours there and also a little bit
of luck when it came to donations.” This experience
compelled him to consider business school.
As the president of the newspaper, he had been in
charge of all things financial – fundraising, taxes,
marketing, as well as merchandise, distribution, and
printing. Sager found these business challenges a
welcome change from his usual academics. “It was
a wonderful experience and put me on the path
toward a career in the private sector – a divergence
from most Arabic majors who tend to lean toward
government work.”
Still, an MBA was not the obvious choice for Sager. “I
batted the idea of studying law around for a while,
but certain aspects of the field were unappealing.
And seeing how beneficial American and European
businesses were in the Arab world, not to mention
their potential for significant growth, I eventually
opted for the MBA.
“My hope is that an MBA will allow me to combine
the skills I learned from leading The Review and
traveling to Morocco and Kuwait into a coherent
whole.”
His experience with The Review was so meaningful,
Sager has this advice for students: “When you’re
finally at college, take advantage of more than just
your classes and the nightlife. Nearly every college
boasts great art programs. Go and see theater,
sculpture, movies, whatever. They’re almost always
rewarding, and they also can be a great cheap
date. Similarly, get involved in something you feel
passionate about. Athletics, the college newspaper,
and peer advisor groups
are all good choices,
particularly anything
that displays leadership.
These are not only
rewarding at the time,
but pay big dividends in
finding a job or applying
to graduate school. The
same can be said for
college admissions.”
Back to Morocco for Fulbright Research In the spring, Sager was
awarded the Fulbright
Scholarship and left
for Morocco after
graduation. He again
studied at the Arabic
Language Institute in Fez.
However, his research was less about the language
and more about the Arab world.
“I was as surprised as anyone to discover that
business – not diplomacy or non-governmental
organizations—was the best way to make friends in
the Middle East and North Africa. Arabs, particularly
younger Arabs, love American products – even if they
don’t particularly like the American government.
There is evidence that American businesses are
already making an impact on bridging the cultural
divide between ‘East’ and ‘West.’ And it’s found in
the language. Older Moroccans know French, while
younger Moroccans know English. This is because
many younger Moroccans view fluency in English as
the best way to get a high-paying international job.
And they came to this conclusion not because of
some U.S. government-led campaign, but because
McDonald’s and other multinational corporations
offer better products and pay more than most
in-country industries. For many Moroccans,
English fluency means greater wealth and more
opportunities. But knowledge of English also leads to
more favorable relations between the two regions.
Once the people know English, they can bypass
the biased Arab media and access American culture
directly.”
Weston and Victoria on the streets of Marrakech. December 2009:
The newlyweds with the
groom’s parents Lorraine
and Richard Sager.
Sager recently completed graduate school
applications to enroll in an MBA program, a
degree he plans to use to work for a multinational
corporation with significant ties to the Middle East
and North Africa. “From what I’ve seen, McDonald’s,
Microsoft, Unilever, and even Starbucks would all
be good choices for my first foray into the business
world after graduate school. Each one of these
corporations is having a positive impact in the region
by providing products that Arabs use and value.
“After working for one or more of these corporations,
I plan to become something of a facilitator of
exchange between the Western world and the
Arab world. I want to introduce more American
and European businesses to Arab countries and
introduce successful Arab businesses to America
and Europe as well. I believe this kind of trade will
enrich both regions and lead to lasting cross-cultural
understanding.”
Before he left to pursue his Fulbright Scholarship
in Morocco, Sager became engaged to his girlfriend
of three years, Victoria, whom he had met at
Dartmouth. On a trip home to Wakefield in
December 2009, he and Victoria were married in
a small ceremony. The two had planned this initial
ceremony for practical purposes, he explained, as
they didn’t want to live together in Morocco without
a marriage certificate.
Back in Morocco, the couple lived in the suburbs of
Rabat, and Victoria volunteered at a women’s rights
organization while her husband researched, read,
and wrote. “I introduced her to the joys of Moroccan
street food, including the best potato chips and
candied peanuts we’d ever had. Of course, we also
drank copious amounts of mint tea and orange juice
– the two signature Moroccan potables.”
While Sager waits to hear about graduate school so
he can plan the next move along his career path, he
is managing his family’s newly acquired business,
Sunset Lodges, a resort on Lake Winnipesaukee in
Tuftonboro, New Hampshire.
From the diverse campus community on the shores
of Lake Winnipesaukee, to the Ivy League, to North
Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, Weston Sager
continues on his journey hoping to make an impact
in a whole new world.
Leadership, Business Opportunities
Students Head to Washington for ConferencePreye Okara ’12, Sydney Baker ’13, and Ashley Rogers ’13 are participating
in the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. The Leaders of
Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today is the theme of the six-day conference
held March 29 – April 2.
The conference is designed to motivate and inspire top high school students
from across the United States by giving them an opportunity to discuss
current issues with the men and women who shape the country’s policies and
laws. While in Washington, the students will assess problems, contribute to group
discussions, and take on roles in educational simulations. Through hands-on
experiences, students develop important leadership skills by learning to evaluate
critical information, form and advocate positions, and make decisions.
“I hope to learn how we, as a new generation, can make a difference in our
community and try to make the world a better place,” Baker said. “I would love
to bring the information I learn back to Brewster and share it so others can make
a difference as well.”
Brewster faculty nominated the students, who also had to meet high academic
and leadership criteria.
Campus BBCBrewster’s Business Club (BBC) actively raises money and introduces students
to business endeavors. This spring the BBC is focused on selling their homemade
pizza, sponsoring a dance, and selling T-shirts to raise money for the 2011
senior class gift. Resume writing, summer internships, and college and industry
networking also are benefits of club membership. If you are interested in sharing
your business experience or have an internship opportunity, please contact BBC
President Jackson Callahan ‘11 at [email protected] or
staff advisor Martha Trepanier ‘83 at 603-569-7135 or martha_trepanier@
brewsteracademy.org.
Members of the BBC get ready to prepare pizza to sell to students (l to r); Tyler Leighton ‘13, Allie Girard ‘13, Jack Stine ‘13, Marshall Lee ‘12, and BK Kang 12
or 99 minutes on one snowy January
morning, students sat in Anderson Hall quiet
and captivated by a movie about poetry.
“In my class before this all-school assembly, I was
asked if I knew what ‘the movie’ was going to
be about,” science teacher Michelle Rafalowski-
Houseman shared. “Before I could respond, a
student piped up ‘Poetry,’ in a very dull and lethargic
voice. Groans were shared throughout the class.
“In my afternoon classes, students spoke
energetically and empathetically about the students
involved in ‘The Bomb.’ I am so excited to hear
students excited about poetry! ‘Now that is the kind
of poetry I could get into!’ exclaimed one student.”
They were talking about the documentary Louder
Than a Bomb, which was brought to campus by
alumnus Jon Siskel ’85, an Emmy award-winning
filmmaker. By January, the film had already won nine
awards at film festivals throughout the country.
Perhaps the filmmakers’ website captures the film’s
essence best: “Louder Than a Bomb is a film about
passion, competition, teamwork, and trust. It’s about
the joy of being young, and the pain of growing up.
It’s about speaking out, making noise, and finding
your voice. It also just happens to be about poetry.”
Siskel and his production partner Greg Jacobs
spent a year visiting numerous high schools in the
Chicago area as the schools prepared for the world’s
largest annual poetry slam competition. They then
chose four schools to profile in their documentary
and spent another year interviewing and filming
these teams. The next two years were spent editing
350 hours of film into 99 minutes of captivating
characters who shared their stories about finding
their voices through words.
“I was impressed by Louder Than a Bomb,”
said senior David Nieman of Wolfeboro. “The
topic of slam poetry revealed itself to be very
captivating. “Throughout the film, the back-
story of several characters draws the audience
in to the excitement and power of this form of
expression. Many of the poems, performed in the
movie without cuts, are deeply emotional and
draw from the life experience of these teenagers. I
was equally impressed by the fact that a Brewster
graduate has made such an impact within the
documentary community. “In today’s film industry,
inexpensive equipment has spawned thousands of
documentaries. Louder Than a Bomb has had enough
impact to stand out against these other films. As
a senior looking forward to film school, it is very
encouraging to meet a graduate who has been so
successful in the industry.”
“I really enjoyed Louder Than a Bomb,” senior Jordan
Weaver (Austin, Texas) said. “The theme that really
spoke to me was the respect that these young
people gained from the adults around them by
using their literary talents. The bittersweet reality
that they wrote about connected to and kept the
attention of the students here at Brewster, and I am
Louder Than A Bomb Explodes at Anderson HallJon Siskel ’85 returned to campus for the screening of his latest award-winning film
Jordan Weaver ’11, David Nieman ’11, Marilyn Shea, academic dean, Steve Burgess, media arts instructor, Mike Cooper, Andrea Cooper, and BG Hodges ’66, media arts instructor, enjoyed lunch with Jon Siskel ’85 during his campus visit.
so happy I was able to meet with Mr. Siskel after
the documentary. I felt very lucky that I got to
hear about ‘behind the scenes’ of LTAB and his
other work.”
“Louder Than a Bomb is a testament to what
amazing things can happen in education when
dedicated teachers provide the framework and
skills that enable students to express their
passions and interests in an environment that
demands excellence,” said Peter Hess, dean
of students. “Extremely powerful stuff is
captured in this film!”
Louder Than a Bomb will have its television
premiere later this year on the Oprah
Winfrey Network as part of the OWN
Documentary Club. For more information
on Louder Than a Bomb, Siskel/Jacobs
Productions, or to learn if the movie
is playing in your city, visit:
www.louderthanabombfilm.com
Many of the poems, performed in the movie without
cuts, are deeply emotional and draw from the life
experience of these teenagers.
Jon Siskel ‘85 reviews the work of the Brewster news team with media arts instructor Steve Burgess and Jordan Weaver ‘11. Media arts instructor BG Hodges ‘66, not seen, was showing the broadcast.
Slam Poetry at Brewster
Based on the student excitement generated by Louder Than a Bomb,
Brewster is planning to offer a performance poetry class next year.
“Students really got excited about the concept
of slam poetry with Jon Siskel’s visit,” said
Academic Dean Marilyn Shea. “The documentary
inspired everyone here, and it certainly showed
us all how what a powerful learning tool we
have when we find an effective way to link youth
culture with the curriculum.”
She continued, “What I found most compelling
was the peer culture this effort has helped schools
build. You watch kids give and receive absolute
respect. They have learned how to work together
and learned to replace hate with love. I think we
were also taken with the power of the poetry and
the fact that these kids were truly creating art, and
exhibiting the talents for analysis and evaluative
thinking that schools struggle to get kids to grasp.”
The Brewster course is designed to provide students
with an opportunity to explore and experiment with
the poetry slam as a performing art and as a vehicle for
creative expression and with a goal of performing in an
interschool poetry slam.
Bobcat NationNew England Field Hockey ChampionsTeamwork and Character Underlie Championship Team
This year the 2010 varsity field hockey team made
Brewster Academy history by capturing both the
New England Preparatory School Athletic Council
(NEPSAC) Class C Championship and the Lakes
Region Championship. It was the team’s eighth New
England Tournament bid in nine seasons, including
two New England Championships and three Lakes
Region Championships.
It was a season in which the team openly embraced
change and saw challenges as real opportunities.
The Bobcats showed a promising start to the season
with three convincing wins against Gould Academy,
Kents Hill School, and Hebron Academy. Class B
Cushing Academy and Class A Exeter Academy
then stopped the team’s early momentum, but the
Bobcats bounced back against their rival Holderness
School to pull out an important overtime tie.
The team went on to beat both Tilton and New
Hampton schools in the Lakes Region. A tie and two
further wins in Class C demonstrated the Bobcat
drive and determination, and despite a mid-season
set back, the team stayed focused on delivering their
full potential.
Team confidence intensified and Brewster set
their sights high finishing the regular season with
exciting wins against both New Hampton School and
Proctor Academy. The synergy on and off the field
was palpable, and the newly named Lakes Region
Championship team was ready to live out their
dream in postseason play.
The Bobcats earned a New England bid as the #7
seed and prepared to give nothing but their best
against #2 Ethel Walker School. The Bobcats upped
the intensity and made their mark with a 2-0 win.
Semifinal action placed Brewster against their
well-known opponent #3 seed Holderness for an all-
important re-match. The Bobcats had learned their
lesson and their will to win brought them one step
closer to their ultimate goal with a 2-1 win.
Finally they faced off against the undefeated #1
seed Newton Country Day School in the finals.
The Bobcats would once again prove their worth in
performance, attitude, and commitment to turn their
dream of winning the New England Championship
into a reality with a 3-1 victory.
– Kim Yau, Head Coach
The following seniors and
postgraduates have made
commitments to play
sports at the collegiate
level. This is not a complete
list, as students are still
making decisions. For an
updated list, visit www.
brewsteracademy.org/
sportsnews
SoccerTaylor Booth: Siena College
Field HockeyRachael Paul: Providence College
Ice HockeyStephen Balsamo: Saint Anselm College
Yegor Bezuglyy: Johnson & Wales University
Megan Colpitts: College of the Holy Cross
Chelsiea Goll: Northeastern University
Jessie Anne Howard: University of Prince Edward Island
Sarah MacDonnell: University of Connecticut
Chelsea MacNeil: Bowdoin College
Brennen Shaw: Assumption College
Olivia Zweber: College of the Holy Cross
Basketball Max Hooper: Harvard University
Durand Johnson: University of Pittsburgh
Marcus Kennedy: Villanova University
Jakarr Sampson: St. John’s University
Naadir Tharpe: University of Kansas
LacrosseJon Behning: Hartwick College
Mitchell Chapman: Bryant University
Patrick Eaker: Marist College
Jimmy Murphy: University of Hartford
CrewCameron Bierwith: Syracuse University
Hunter Holtz: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Playing at the Next
Level
First row l to r: Mike Cooper, seniors Elizabeth Sterchele, Olivia Zweber, captain Jolie Wehrung , Hilary Greeff, captain Jessie Howard, captain Chelsiea Goll, Rachael Paul, coach Kim Yau; Standing l to r: assistant coach Janis Cornwell, Nicole Levesque ‘14, Amy Misera ‘12, Sarah Geyssel ‘11, Shelby Allesandroni ‘14, Goldie Paul ‘12, Olivia Hadley ‘12, Hanna Skelley ‘12, Toni DiGeronimo ‘12, Catherine LeBoeuf ‘13, and Allie Hughes ‘12
New England Soccer SemifinalistsDefending Champions Dominate in Lakes Region and New England Leagues
Goalkeeper and captain Taylor Booth ’11 holds the record for Brewster shutouts
In 2010, captain Taylor Booth ‘11 (Epping, New
Hampshire) led Brewster Academy to a 12-3-2
record and its fourth consecutive Lakes Region
Championship. Along the way, Booth added to her
school record shutout total, finishing with 32 in her
three-year career.
Emma Jones (Wolfeboro), Courtney Piper
(Wolfeboro), and Sarah MacDonnell (Quispamsis,
New Brunswick) have been four-year contributors
to the varsity program, and they each played a
big role in the success of the 2010 season. Jones
continued to be a consistent defensive presence for
the Bobcats and made key offensive contributions as
well, finishing with six goals and five assists. Piper
made a move from midfield to left back and never
left the field; she was a player the team could always
count on to do her job. MacDonnell started off the
year with a flourish, scoring 10 goals (including four
game winners) in the first nine games; unfortunately,
she suffered a season-ending injury in the ninth
game on a play where she scored.
After MacDonnell’s injury, the Bobcats had to work
hard to score goals, and many players stepped up.
Senior Chelsea MacNeil (Moncton, New Brunswick)
scored one of the most important goals of the
year, when she tallied the game winner in the final
minute against Kimball Union Academy; it was a
game that Brewster could not afford to tie or lose if
they wanted to win the league, and MacNeil came
through.
Brewster played some of its best games against
Lakes Region rivals to finish with a 9-0-1 record
in the league, and the team’s regular season
success helped them earn a #2 seed in the New
England Preparatory School Athletic Council
playoffs. After winning a close 1-0 game against
Proctor in the quarterfinals, Brewster fell to
Wheeler School 1-0 in the semifinals. Although the
Bobcats were disappointed not to repeat as New
England champions, their resolute competitiveness
throughout the season should be remembered.
– Matt Butcher, Head Coach
These Bobcats finished in a respectable 20th position out of 75 boats at the Head of the Charles Regatta. They are Hunter Holtz ’11, Cam Bierwith ’11, John Steensma ’12, and Ryan Ingram ’11. Not shown is coxswain Leah Soboroff ’11.
The national defending prep school champion boys’ varsity basketball team ended regular season play with a 29-1 record. Here Mitch McGary ’12 puts one in for the Bobcats.
Lakes Region Runner of the Year: Reika Kijima ’12
he artwork of five Brewster students
received recognition in the New
Hampshire Scholastic Art Awards
competition in January. The competition
featured thousands of pieces of artwork from
student artists throughout the state. Here we
share their award-winning artwork as well as
selected pieces from other Brewster artists.
“The visual arts programs foster a student’s
development of creative problem solving and
encourage students to think outside of the
box. Through the creative process, students
put a voice to their work and learn how to
communicate through various mediums and
techniques. They learn to appreciate the great
works of past masters and discover how this
in turn affects them and their creative process.
We aim to provide our students with a positive
and fun experience in the arts, one where they
can learn to value the process of creating, as
well as the beauty of every day things in their
surroundings.”
Artists Among Us
NewsmakersStudent Film Showcased at Film Festival
Beginning’s End, a short film by David Nieman ’11
(Wolfeboro) and Hannah Carter ’11 (New Canaan,
Connecticut) won acceptance in the New Hampshire
Film Festival last summer and was shown at the
October festival in Portsmouth. The 5 ! minute
drama features a girl who stays late to sing in an
empty building. As she goes to leave, she finds that
leaving may not be an option. Nieman directed the
technical aspects and edited the film, while Carter
wrote the story and directed the acting. Genevieve
Curran ’11 (Hollis, New Hampshire) played the
main character.
The 2010 lineup of independent films featured
New Hampshire filmmakers as well as national and
international filmmakers and winners from film
festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, and South by
Southwest.
Beginning’s End was the Runner Up to the Jury Award
at the 2010 New Hampshire High School Short
Film Festival. Nieman’s next project will focus on
bathroom graffiti. Stay tuned.
Bobcat Nation Goes International
Sarah MacDonnell ’11 (Quispamsis, New Brunswick)
traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, in January to
represent Team Canada at the International Ice
Hockey Federation World (IIHF) Women’s Under-18
Championship.
MacDonnell, a forward who just completed her
fourth season with the Bobcats, was among 20
players selected to represent Team Canada at
the world games. On her way to the finals, she
contributed three goals, two against Germany and
one in the semifinals over Finland. In the finals,
Canada lost to the United States 5-2. MacDonnell
will take her talent to the University of Connecticut
next season.
Another Bobcat icer
Yegor Bezuglyy ’11
(Karkhov, Ukraine)
played in the
IIHF World Men’s
Under-20 competition
in December in
Bobruisk, Belarus.
Bezuglyy, a forward,
scored on a penalty shot against Italy. It was his
third appearance at the IIHF games. “It was an
awesome experience playing at such a high level of
competition,” he said.
Cooper Presents at CASE
Mike Cooper and Karin L. George, senior associate at
Washburn & McGoldrick Inc. presented at the 41st
Annual Case-NAIS Independent Schools Conference
in Chicago. The two led the session “Leading Change
and Transition with the Board of Trustees: The
Brewster Academy Story.”
AP English Paper PublishedShira Braiterman ’13 (Wolfeboro) penned an essay
for Jonathan Fouser’s AP English Class “Tragedy Does
Not An Unhappy Person Make” that received high
marks from Fouser as well as the editors of the New
Hampshire Sunday News and the Granite State News
Filmmakers Hannah Carter ’11 and David Nieman ’11 at the New Hampshire Film Festival
where the essay
was published.
The assignment
was to write an
essay on any topic
imitating the style
of Pulitzer Prize-
winning Miami
Herald columnist
Leonard Pitts Jr.
The essay conveyed Braiterman’s thoughts on how
easy, and perhaps comforting, it is for individuals
to compare their lives to someone experiencing
tragedy or misery. In this way, Braiterman asserts,
we can feel that we have a better life or at least it
is not as bad as someone else’s. Her protagonist is
the late Elizabeth Edwards and her assumption is
that upon Ms. Edwards’ recent death, people “had a
fresh face to compare their lives to.” Yet, in Edwards,
Braiterman sees only a woman, a mother, an
attorney “who dealt. And she survived. And right up
to the end, she was thankful. For that, she shouldn’t
be pitied.” Braiterman wrote the essay the day after
Edwards died from breast cancer.
Alumna is First Woman to Throw for Major Leagues
Justine Siegal ’93
became the first
woman to throw
batting practice to a
major league team
in February when
she threw to the
Cleveland Indians
and the Oakland A’s
during spring training.
Siegal is the founder
and executive director
of Baseball For All
and is dedicated
to providing
opportunities for girls and women to get involved in
the game of baseball. “I want to show that baseball
is a game for all and that both boys and girls love
this game,” Siegal said. “My throwing BP is proof that
dreams really can come true.”
A veteran at throwing batting practice, Siegal is the
first woman to coach first base in men’s professional
baseball (Brockton Rox, 2009). She also spent three
years as the only female college baseball coach in
the country.
To honor the memory of Chistina Taylor Green, 9,
killed in the Tucson, Arizona, shooting, Siegal wore
a baseball memorial patch. Christina was the only
girl on her Little League baseball team and dreamed
of becoming the first woman to play major league
baseball.
Grace and Kaywin to Return as Commencement SpeakersAs busy as they are with their first feature film
release, Topher Grace ’97 and Gordon Kaywin ’97
have added Brewster Academy to their schedule and
will be the 2011 commencement speakers.
Their company
Sargent Hall
Productions
just released
Take Me Home
Tonight. Among
the film’s
stars is Grace
who along
with Kaywin
founded
Sargent Hall
Productions three years ago. The former classmates
met as sophomores when they lived in Sargent
Hall and had dreams of someday working together
on something they were both passionate about:
creating films.
In conjunction with the film’s release, MTV was on
campus in mid-February to interview Lynne Palmer,
director of admission and external affairs, for an
episode of When I Was 17. The show features current
celebrities and looks back on when they were 17. The
show aired at the end of February.
Keogh and Edwards Drafted for Pro LacrosseStephen Keogh ’07 and Damon Edwards ’08 have
committed to professional lacrosse teams. Keogh
was drafted by the Hamilton Nationals (Canada)
and will likely play for Major League Lacrosse this
summer. He graduates from Syracuse University in
May, where he has helped the Orange to two NCAA
titles. In January Edwards signed with the Boston
Blazers of the National Lacrosse League.
Philip Tuttle Joins San Jose Earthquakes
In January
the San Jose
Earthquakes
selected
goalkeeper Philip
Tuttle ‘06 in the
second round of
the Major League
Soccer Supplemental Draft. Tuttle defended the
Bobcat goal for two seasons before committing to
the University of Notre Dame.
During his Notre Dame career, Tuttle, who is from
Hooksett, New Hampshire, appeared in 33 games,
starting 29 and posting a 0.94 goals against average
with nine shutouts. He ended his collegiate career
with a 16-10-4 record and helped lead the Irish to
the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008,
2009, and 2010.
Taking Notice of Brewster In December the principal and a colleague from the
Martin Technology Academy of Math and Science
in north Georgia visited campus to learn about
the Brewster program. Specifically, the school
representatives were interested in learning how
Brewster has embedded instructional practices
across the whole school and how Brewster has
differentiated instruction and infused technology
within the curriculum. The Georgia Academy is a K-5
public charter school.
RoadOn The
Front row (l to r): Shiori Taguchi ‘02, Mari Kawamura ‘01, Mirei Sugihara ‘03, Yasunori Akiyama ‘96 (with the world travelling Bobcat), Akiko Kumukai ‘00 Back row (l to ri): Fumiko Yamada, Daigi Sakamoto ‘03, Shoko Morita ‘05, Yuji Nakano ‘ 05,Tomoko Oyama ‘03, Raylene Davis, Akiko Kato ‘00, Sayaka Konaka ‘00, Yuta Oguchi ‘99, Masakatsu Inoue ‘03, Jim Bastis
In Beijing with parents of current students.
AsiaFour Countries, Six Cities, 16 Days
November – Two months after the start of the
school year was an ideal time to check in with our
families from Asia. Raylene Davis, former director of
the ESL and international student programs (current
director of summer programs and conference
events), and Jim Bastis, director of alumni and
development, traveled to Japan, Korea, China, and
Taiwan to visit with parents and alumni.
Tokyo was the first stop where a lunch with current
parents and a dinner with alumni allowed us to
renew acquaintances, to present Brewster’s story,
and to seek the support of those we visited. We
then went west to Seoul, Korea, where we enjoyed
another parent dinner and an alumni reception.
We enjoyed the company of Beau Jackson ’87
who joined us from his office at the Seoul National
University where he teaches English.
Continuing west, we spent time in Beijing and then
went south to Shanghai, China. Our last visit was in
Taiwan, first to Taichung City and then Taipei. We had
a large turnout of current and alumni parents join us
for dinner in Taipei.
The trip was a wonderful occasion for us to share
student news and updates from campus and
enjoy the hospitality of the parents of students
now studying at Brewster. In all, we visited with
19 alumni and 51 parents. Currently 41 students
represent these four countries.
To read more about the trip and to view more
photos, visit: www.jimbastis.blogspot.com
Our Brewster Bobcat is taking a trip around the world to meet up
with alumni and learn about their lives after Brewster. Our “Flat
Bobcat” started out in November and so far has been hosted by
Brewster alumni in England, Hungary, Africa, Korea, and Japan.
Where will he be next? Find out by tracking his trip at:
www.brewsteracademy.org/Alumni-Profiles. Can you find the
Flat Bobcat among our Japanese alumni in the photo on this page?
Doug Shilo ’03 and Brooke Lovett ’04 at Reunion Village.
Head of the CharlesOctober – Brewster parents, alumni, and friends
gathered at the Head of the Charles Regatta Reunion
Village to cheer on Brewster’s varsity one boat in the
Youth Fours Men’s division. The Bobcats finished in a
respectable 20th position out of 75 boats.
Some alumni seen at the Brewster tent were Kate
Buesser ’07, Matt Keys ’04, Brooke Lovett ‘04, Rob
Shickel ’86, and Doug Shilo ’03.
Representing Brewster on the Charles were Ryan
Ingram ’11 (Belvedere, California), John Steensma
‘12 (Tuftonboro, New Hampshire), Cameron
Bierwith ’11 (Alameda, California), Hunter Holtz ‘11
(Charlestown, Massachusetts), and coxswain Leah
Soboroff ’12 (Pacific Palisades, California). Jim Bastis, Alexis van der Sterre, Ron McCormick ‘95, and Martha Trepanier ‘83. Alexis is Ron’s fiancée.
New YorkBrewster Alumni Compete in Jimmy V Classic
December – Former Brewster teammates
Thomas Robinson ’09 (Kansas), Will Barton ’10
(Memphis), and CJ Fair ‘10 (Syracuse) competed
against each other in the Jimmy V Basketball Classic
at Madison Square Garden. Brewster friends, family,
and fans enjoyed amazing basketball and the chance
to see three former Bobcat hoopsters play for their
respective universities.
Prior to the game Mike Cooper, Jim Bastis, director
of alumni and development, Lynne Palmer, director
of admission and external affairs, Brewster’s head
boys’ varsity coach Jason Smith, and other Brewster
staff members and coaches were joined by family
members of the three alumni playing in the Jimmy V
and area alumni, parents, and friends for a reception
at the nearby Stout NYC.
New Jersey1986 Reunion Gift Challenge November – Martha Trepanier ’83 visited with
Michael Sullivan ‘86, president of Schlesinger
Associates - New Jersey. Mike looks forward to
celebrating his 25th reunion in June with Nancy
Mitz, Betsy Ross, Trey Rhian, and other friends.
Mike’s continued leadership support enables Brewster
to embrace its mission and maximize every student’s
potential. This year in honor of his 25th reunion, Mike
has challenged his classmates and will match all gifts
made before June 1 up to $5,000. Thank you Mike!
Hosts David and Lidia Devonshire (Greg ‘11) with Head of School Mike Cooper.
Host David Devonshire (Greg ‘11), Bob and Karen Fix (Will ‘11, Keenan ‘13), and Helen Dohrmann (George ‘05, Geoff ‘12).
ChicagoJanuary – The Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest,
Illinois, was the setting for a lovely reception hosted
by Brewster parents David and Lidia Devonshire
(Greg ‘11). Guests included other current parents,
alumni parents, alumni, a board member, and two
prospective Brewster families. Mike Cooper engaged
the group in a discussion about Brewster’s strategic
direction and the Academy’s vision and priorities.
Melanie and John Foster (Monell ‘12) with Marc and Dawn DiGeronimo (Toni ‘12) at Stout NYC before the Jimmy V Classic.
Craig Stine (Jack ‘13), son Matthew, AB Whitfield and Janie Whitney (Trey Whitfield ‘89) with Mike Cooper at a pre-Jimmy V Classic reception.
TexasAustin
January – Erick Faul ‘96, Michael Kupper ‘92,
and Hans Larsen ‘02 joined Mike Cooper, Martha
Trepanier ‘83, and Lynne Palmer for a pre-game
lunch at Gabriel’s before the January 15 UT vs.
Oklahoma game. Former Bobcat hoopsters Dogus
Balbay ‘07 and the University of Texas Longhorns
took on Andrew Fitzgerald ‘09 and the University
of Oklahoma Sooners. Balbay is a senior point guard
who was the team’s Most Outstanding Defensive
Player and Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection last
year. Fitzgerald is the captain of the Sooners.
Dr. Ramon Soriano and Dr. Sonia Ramos-Soriano
(Raymond ’12) also were among the Brewster fans
at the game.
Texas came out on the winning side, but Fitzgerald
was the leading scorer for the Sooners with 18
points. Balbay was a clear fan favorite of the UT
crowd who showered him with applause throughout
the game. Balbay gave the Brewster visitors a
personal tour of the University of Texas basketball
facilities, which were very impressive, clearly a lot of
pride and tradition there. Both Fitzgerald and Balbay
are hoping to visit Wolfeboro soon and report that
they are always watching out for and wishing their
Bobcat successors continued triumphs.
Houston
January – A warm thanks to Priscilla and Matt Pilon
(Jack ‘11, Phil ‘13) for hosting a reception at the
Houston Country Club. Michael Gamson (Emma
‘12), Joe Rizzo ‘03, and Grace Apfeld ‘10 were there
to share their Brewster experiences with the visiting
families who came to understand more about
the advantages of a Brewster education for their
children. Mike Cooper shared with the group the
school’s strategic direction, changes over the past
five to eight years, and recent program successes.
Hook ‘em Horns: Mike Cooper and Dogus Balbay after Texas defeated Oklahoma.
Brewster Alumni: Joe Rizzo ‘03 of Houston and Rice University freshman Grace Apfeld ’10.
Grace Apfeld ‘10 from Wolfeboro and Lynne Palmer spent time with prospective family, Dan and Cindy Golding of Houston.
Brewster on the Road
OhioSeptember –
Martha Trepanier
’83 travelled to Ohio
to visit alumni. In Clayton
she saw Art “Skip” Glidden III
’70 and wife Nancy and learned
about Glidden’s postgraduate
year at Brewster, a year he considers
paramount to his post-Brewster success
(read more about Glidden on the inside
back cover of this issue).
In Columbus, she met with Bob Black ’67 and
later in the day Chip Bromley ‘67. Although
the two were classmates, they didn’t know they
were both living in Columbus. Bromley is excited
to reconnect with Black and work on a diversity
initiative in recognition of their 50th reunion, which
is just around the corner – alumni from 1967 watch
for news on this or contact Martha.
A special thanks to Jonathan Leebow ‘94 for
hosting an alumni dinner at the Shoreby Club near
Cleveland. We were joined by Premchanun “Pum”
Pavarolarvidya ‘94 and wife Christina, and John
Creech ‘49 and his daughter Debbie Connelly.
Chip Bromley, with wife Gail, and his Brewster blazer circa 1967.
HOOPLAby Matt Hoopes
Ilove Reunion Weekend when middle-aged men
and women instantly revert back to their teenage
selves, yelling nicknames or mocking each other over
long ago quirks and characteristics. Shaking hands,
hugging, a body twice my size transforms into the
smiling face of one of my former sophomore students.
Books, classrooms, and teachers aside, one quickly
realizes that it is the meaningful relationships and
the close friendships formed during those informative
adolescent years that makes a school like Brewster a
significant part of one’s life – and that is timeless.
Reunions, however, are not the only time many of
these men and women, their wives and husbands,
their children visit each other. Brewster alums keep
in touch with each other all year long, all over the
world. They visit over vacations and on holidays. And,
for some, far more than I realized prior to writing this
column, the relationship develops into more than a
friendship, they become working partnerships.
Wondering, as I often do, what reasons, experiences,
joint interests have brought these friends and
alumni together as dynamic partners and successful
businessmen and women, I contacted some in various
groupings. No doubt there are many other examples
of Brewster’s alumni and family in business together.
You’ll get a taste of the ‘hows and whys’ of their
common interests and their balanced responsibilities
by reading about the experiences of former
roommates, an alumni couple, a family businessman,
and even two current students.
Returning briefly to the reunion connection: For those
in class years ending in 1 or 6, please make plans
to return to campus for your special year gathering
and relive your BA experiences with your classmates,
their families and friends, and current and former
faculty members. ALL alumni are welcome to join the
celebration, June 3,4, and 5. I look forward to seeing
everyone turn into a teenager again! And, it may not
be too late to pick up a business partner!
Again, many thanks to all those who either returned
my pink cards or e-mailed me, as I really do need your
Matt Hoopes was a faculty member from 1975 to
1996. During this time he and his journalism students
founded The Brewster Browser, the Outcroppings
literary magazine, and the BAPA (Brewster Academy
Photo/Address) book. Since his “retirement” from the
classroom in 1996, Hoopes has worked as the Young
Alumni Correspondent from his hilltop banana farm on
the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas, helping to keep
the alumni connection alive. In each issue he brings
life-after-Brewster stories to the pages of his Hoopla
column.
Making Connections Work
updated contacts – and your classmates want your
news.
Please continue to send both. I can be reached at:
• 1-242-335-0535 (fax)
• 603-544-2222
(my message center in New Hampshire)
• or you can write to me at my
mail-forwarding address:
Matt Hoopes, P.M.B. # 100
411 Walnut Street
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Be well and be warm,
HOOPLA
Topher Grace ‘97 and Gordon Kaywin ’97 – former
roommates and current business partners – founded
Sargent Hall Productions three years ago and recently
released their first film, Take Me Home Tonight.
Hoopes: When did you and Topher first meet, and
when did your interests begin to mesh?
Gordon: Topher and I first met at Brewster in the
10th grade. We were both assigned to live in Sargent
Hall on the first floor, and our rooms were right next
to one another. Topher used to get a kick out of
goading his roommate into doing annoying things
to me during study hours, but despite that, I was
always impressed with his creative abilities and
we instantly got along. At the end of junior year
we decided that the following year we would give
rooming together a shot. It was really living together
senior year in House One (now Spencer House) that
our friendship grew, and we started connecting over
shared interests.
Unlike me, Topher has always been into the craft
and art of filmmaking. What began bonding us was
humor and a shared sense of urgency to go out into
the world and accomplish something. We were both
very entrepreneurial in high school and took full
advantage of Brewster being a place that supported
those students who wanted to run with the ball on
projects that personally interested them. Topher
took it upon himself to convince the school to
raise money for an Avid editing system, which gave
students the chance to expand their filmmaking
abilities. I was busy raising money for Brewster to
build a new fitness center and, although Topher will
be the first to admit he never set foot in it once, I
know he respected my perseverance.
Hoopes: As two creative individuals, did your
passions merge in any Brewster projects?
Gordon: I think one of the reasons why Topher and
I are able to be successful business partners in the
entertainment industry is because we both had very
different relationships with the arts in high school. I
was never in the plays at Brewster and to be honest
it was not an area of interest to me. I think Topher
asked me to run lines with him once for one of
the plays and it was a complete disaster. Likewise,
Topher had no interest in sports/fitness and could
hardly do one pull-up. Point being, our differences
have actually helped us get ahead because we never
approach the creative process from the same place.
One of my strengths has always been the ability
to step back from projects and give an opinion
on whether or not people are going to ultimately
respond to it or dismiss it; one of Topher’s strengths
is his ability to focus in on all the small details – he
is a true perfectionist. So, while I was not involved
in the day-to-day crafting of the video yearbook he
would ask my opinion of it from a distance.
Hoopes: After Topher left college to film That 70’s
Show, you continued in college, did you stay in touch?
Gordon: After graduating from Brewster we
both went off to different colleges: Topher to
the University of Southern California and me to
Topher Grace ’97 and Gordon Kaywin ’97
Southern Methodist University. It was at the end
of Topher’s second semester freshman year of USC
that he got the chance to audition for That 70’s
Show. During the summer going into our sophomore
year of college, I was living in New York City. I will
never forget meeting up with Topher that summer in
the city and him telling me that the strangest thing
had happened – he had been cast in a TV show and
it was going to series right after The Simpsons on
Fox. It did not really hit home until I saw him on TV
as Eric Forman. Over the next three years while I was
finishing up at SMU we stayed in touch. I think one
of the reasons we remained close had a lot to do
with Topher staying grounded and unaffected by his
success, which remains true today.
Hoopes: When did you and Topher start thinking of
working together? Had you thought about it while
you were at Brewster? Why did you select Sargent
Hall as the name of your production company?
Gordon: There were times at Brewster when
Topher and I would stay up talking after lights
out about how cool it would be to have some
kind of company together when we were out of
college, but it was never as specific as a production
company in Hollywood. My last semester at SMU I
was starting to think about where I might want to
work and remembered having a few conversations
with Topher about Hollywood. We decided that I
would fly out to Los Angeles and crash on his couch
so I could get a feel for whether or not I liked it.
Something I have always admired about Topher was
that he never wanted to use his fame to give people
opportunities they were not deserving of, and I think
this especially applied to me. He really wanted me
to cut my teeth in Hollywood having accomplished
it on my own without his help. At the beginning he
was always there to listen and give his opinion on
my situation but he never pulled any strings for me,
and we always felt that if the end goal was to form a
company the timing was going to be everything. We
felt that the worst thing we could do was try and
start a company before we were both ready and far
enough along in our careers to be successful. Calling
it Sargent Hall happened very early on. When we
began talking about forming a company we wanted
the name to be representative of our meeting – so
Sargent Hall was a no-brainer.
Hoopes: I recall the last time we talked you were
working on plans for a boarding school movie. Was
that the start of Take Me Home Tonight?
Gordon: Over the years we have toyed with the idea
of creating a movie or TV show set at a boarding
school and maybe one day we will take it further
than just casual conversation. Take Me Home Tonight,
deals with characters who have just graduated
college and find themselves caught in that time
period where you are not quite sure what the next
move is. Thematically we chose this because it’s
a universal issue that every young person finds
themselves facing post college – exploring the idea
that life is planned out for you up until you get out
of college and then you are thrust into the world
without a map – was very appealing to us.
Hoopes: What’s next for Sargent Hall Productions?
Gordon: Over the past year we have expanded
Sargent Hall into the TV business, setting up
and developing a number of shows. We are also
continuing to develop film projects that we are
very excited about. The future of Sargent Hall
seems very bright and, if all goes according to plan,
we can continue to grow the company as a key
supplier of commercial content for all aspects of the
entertainment business.
Hoopes: Do you think your Brewster connection/
relationship gave you any advantages?
Gordon: Our Brewster relationship absolutely gave
Topher and I a leg up in dealing with our present
situation. Above and beyond the significance of
Topher and I meeting at Brewster, we remember
other key friendships with both students and teachers
who have impacted our journey post Brewster.
Hoopes: Do you have any advice for our current
students regarding their personal relationships?
Gordon: I think Topher and I are proof that the
relationships you make throughout your time at
Brewster can be very impactful on your adult life.
Staying in touch with fellow students after you
graduate Brewster is hard and only gets harder as
time goes by, but we would encourage the effort –
you just never know when paths will cross. People
who attend boarding school have that special shared
experience in common with one another, it’s unique.
Regarding advice on the importance of professional
relationships, they are essential in not only the
business of Hollywood, but in all business and life in
general. Post college life stops being about grades
and starts being about relationships and connections
with other people, one could never put a value
on the importance of building relationships – it’s
essential.
HOOPLA
get started on our life together,” which would begin
with a move to New York City.
Here they share the story of their developing careers
and working together, as well as career advice for
students. Gillian begins …
I had struggled to fit in socially and academically at
the public high school, so Brewster was a wonderful
change for me. It was eye-opening to meet kids from
all over the world, from all sorts of different socio-
economic backgrounds. I definitely took advantage
of the opportunities of smaller classrooms, advanced
technology, and the opportunity to travel. I went
with Peter Mann and our French class to Quebec
and with Adam Man to Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong
Kong. I became a die-hard Apple devotee and a
three-season varsity athlete. I was editor in chief of
the newspaper my senior year. The exposure to these
privileges absolutely gave me a one-up in many
regards when I arrived at college.
The summer before my senior year at Brewster, my
father was diagnosed with leukemia, and he died
a couple weeks before I was to return to classes. I
was a proctor that year and was supposed to take
five Advanced Placement courses. As expected,
nothing panned out as anticipated. Brewster was
very supportive that year and helped accommodate
my needs, but it certainly took my life in a different
direction. I applied to several schools and was
accepted to a few in the New England area, but what
I really needed was to get out of town and have a bit
of an adventure.
I first met Mo Fallon ’94 when his dad, former faculty
member Doug Fallon, brought him along for a visit to
my Tuftonboro log cabin. Mo must have been 9 or 10
at the time. I recall he took a real interest in a Civil War
sword I had hanging on the wall. Thankfully he was too
short to reach it or no telling what his creative mind
might have done with it!
As a member of my 10th grade English class, Mo was a
gifted writer. I always enjoyed reading his essays. They
usually had nothing to do with the assigned topic, but
his topics turned out to be much better than mine, and
the essays were so well written that I didn’t care about
the assignments, and I think, I hope anyway, he earned
an A for the year.
I now realize that a lot, maybe all, of Mo’s creative
work is totally of his own direction. I know that his
Brewster artwork and his prize winning pottery
pieces were totally “Mo unique.” Needless to say,
I’m not, nor is anyone else who really knew Mo, the
least bit surprised by Mo’s career path of successes.
Mo currently works as a photographer on the new
Travel Channel hit show The Wild Within. Previously
he worked as a photographer on the reality show
The Biggest Loser and worked as an assistant to the
director, Michael Mann, during the filming of Ali.
I did not know Gillian Brown ’01, as I had “retired”
before she arrived at Brewster. Gillian grew up in
Wolfeboro and was a day student at Brewster. With
nearly an eight-year age difference between Gillian
and Mo, however, their paths didn’t cross until
the summer before Gillian’s senior year in college.
Ironically, the two met at Brewster where they both
had been working out at the Smith Center. She
returned to Emory University for her senior year but
the two were soon reunited again over Columbus Day
weekend in Wolfeboro. According to Gillian, after this,
they became inseparable. She says she even skipped
her college graduation so the two could “hurry up and
Brown and Fallon in Focus: An Alumna and an Alumnus Find Adventure and Each Other
Gillian Brown ‘01 and Mo Fallon ‘94 celebrate their marriage on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, in May 2010.
The Adventure BeginsAt Emory I majored in creative writing and English
with a minor in theater. I spent my entire junior year
abroad in Rome and took my first film class there –
Italian Cinema. It certainly piqued my interest, but I
still had no idea that I would have a career in film.
Mo had worked as an assistant to the director Michael
Mann during the shooting of the movie Ali and was
developing his career as a cinematographer, so he
encouraged me to consider film as an alternative
storytelling medium. I took a week-long film editing
class that very much resonated with me and soon
after I started working as a production coordinator
at a new media company in New York City.
The company was a fast-growing startup, so I
quickly took on more responsibility and began
producing some smaller, one-off projects. Much of
the work I did was developing online content for
brands like Neutrogena and Nestle. It didn’t always
satisfy my creative desires, but it really served as
my education in production. It also allowed me to
work with Mo and to travel. As producer on certain
projects, I was able to bring Mo to shoot, so we
worked on projects together in New York and around
the country, as well as Egypt and the Cayman Islands.
Working with Mo was a true pleasure – and was
very good for our relationship. He had much more
experience than I did in the industry, so I could
learn a great deal from him when we were out on
projects together – he’s an amazing teacher, just
like his mama [former faculty member Mary Fallon].
However, part of the role of the producer is to really
call the shots, so it was empowering to also act as
the decision maker when we were working together.
It is such a gift in our working relationship as well
as our personal relationship to be with a man who
trusts and values me so much – and is also secure
enough in himself – to step back and let me take the
lead. It is critical for us – especially because of our
age difference – to have a good balance of power
and responsibility. We are both highly competitive
and intense people, but we work to support each
other and really listen to the other’s needs. We learn
so much from each other and deeply enjoy traveling
and spending time together working as a team.
In 2007, Mo was offered a camera operating position
on the hit reality show, The Biggest Loser, and we
decided to make the move to Los Angeles. We packed
all our things in a U-Haul, grabbed our three mini-
dachshunds, and set out for the west – Brooklyn to
Bel Air.
My company had offered to keep me on staff
through the move, so I continued to manage my
clients for a few months from a little satellite office.
I was itching for a change, however, so when the
opportunity came up to take an unpaid internship
at a small film production company, I leapt at the
chance. I left health care, a nice salary, and my
producer title to start from scratch at the bottom of
the barrel.
Mr. Mudd (the production company of John
Malkovich and his two partners) was a terrific fit
for me. Mr. Mudd produces smaller, independent
films like Juno, Ghost World, and The Libertine. After
a few months of hacking it out as an intern, I was
hired on as an assistant. The company is small (only
five people including the producers) so like my
first position, I had ample opportunity to take on
additional work. My biggest project was coordinating
post-production on their small documentary film,
Which Way Home, a film about child migrants riding
the trains from Mexico and Central America into the
United States.
My work on Which Way Home was incredibly
rewarding and really turned me on to the power
of film as a tool for social (and political) change.
First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala and President
Calderon watched and endorsed the film and
brought it to First Lady Michelle Obama during
a meeting in the fall. We were nominated for an
Academy Award and won an Emmy for Outstanding
Informational Program.
I also worked on my first two feature films this last
year: Jeff Who Lives At Home, the latest film from
the Duplass brothers, starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms,
Judy Greer, and Susan Sarandon, as well as Young
Adult, directed by Jason Reitman, written by Diablo
Cody and starring Charlize Theron. Jeff shot in New
Orleans early last year, and Young Adult shot outside
of New York City this fall. It’s a mixed blessing that
we both have to travel so much for our work, but
it makes us always grateful for the time we have
together – I’m always happy to see Mo.
Marriage and Another MoveIn December 2009, Mo and I went down to the
town hall and got married while home in Wolfeboro
for Christmas. Then in May 2010 we had a service
and celebration on Isla Mujeres in Mexico. The two
ceremonies seem to be a good model for the things
we care about – we love our common hometown
and the core values that we learned there, but we
also love to get out and see the world.
We are moving back to New York as Mo just
accepted a staff position with the production
company Zero Point Zero where he is working on
a new show for the Travel Channel called The Wild
Within. I’m hopefully going to continue freelancing
for Mr. Mudd while pursuing new projects in New
York.
Spending time at “home” in Wolfeboro.
HOOPLAAn Interview With MoHoopes: Do you have a background in photography?
Did you take photos for the Brewster yearbook or in
college?
Mo: I didn’t take photography at Brewster, however,
working for my father at Brewster during the
summer taught me to work hard and has served me
well ever since. During two of my college summers,
Bonnie and Terry Turner, writers and producers of
TV’s Third Rock from the Sun and That 70’s Show, gave
me my first job in the film and television industry.
They are two of the most gifted people I have ever
worked with, and I am greatly indebted to them for
giving me my start.
Hoopes: How is it working in the same field as your
wife?
Mo: It is amazing when we are able to work together,
especially when we are able to steal a day or two for
ourselves in a place like Grand Cayman. It has also
helped us to establish a balance of power as Gillian is
ultimately in charge when we are in the field together.
The hard part is the amount of travel and time away
from each other. I was basically away six of the 12
months last year. At one point Gillian was living in
New Orleans; I was on the road; and our dogs were
with a dog sitter in Los Angeles for three months.
Hoopes: Do you support each other’s work and does
that help both of you with your separate jobs?
technology government consulting firm. Hadley
earned his MBA and master’s in information systems
at Boston University School of Management in 2001
and continued working as an analyst at The Boston
Foundation.
I had worked with Hadley while he was at Brewster
and enjoyed visits with him in Melvin Village, New
Hampshire, where he vacationed at his parents’
Mo: We usually agree on most things. If we don’t, we
will talk it through to a point of resolution. There is
a tremendous amount of support that takes place
in our work. This is especially true since we are
working in such an unpredictable field. We spend a
lot of time consulting with each other in regard to
related decisions. Gillian is tremendously stable and
unemotional in work whereas I am very aggressive
and emotional. Gillian is likely to plot out every move,
whereas I am likely to jump off a cliff after a shot and
think about it later. We balance each other very well.
Hoopes: If you were to return to Brewster to speak
to seniors about their futures, what advice would
you give them? And what advice would you offer as
to working with one’s spouse?
Mo: At all times, move forward. Often when shooting
TV, especially documentary TV, there is no certainty
that the story line will unfold as intended. However, it
is critical not to panic, but rather keep shooting, and
a story will present itself to you. You have to put the
hours in and I often tell our crew to “keep pounding
the pavement” as hard work is always rewarded.
Communication and support is the key. It is nice
that Gillian and I can speak the same work language
and understand the challenges that we each face,
but most importantly is the amount of time we
spend together talking things through. And we have
an understanding of how our differing personalities
need to approach similar problems.
home during summers while working in Boston. I
found his focus away from environmental work –
about which he was so passionate – to his career as
an analyst somewhat bewildering.
Hadley explained the change to me. “While I had
visions of working in environmental research during
college, I found myself gravitating toward more
information technology, data analysis, and now
If you told me that this would be my life 10 years
ago, I wouldn’t have believed you. I never thought
I’d be married so young (and to a man from
Wolfeboro!). I never imagined I’d work in film, and
I certainly didn’t think I’d have three little dogs. I
guess I assumed I’d be a doctor or a lawyer or a
poet or something – or a single woman traveling
the world. So what I’d love to tell my younger self
and what I’d say to the seniors at Brewster would be
something like this:
Don’t be so quick to define yourself. Allow the world
to surprise you. Developing an identity is important,
but approaching life with curiosity, flexibility, and a
willingness to change has served me well. Ambition
is key but in our ever-changing world an open mind
is equally important. Uncertainly can be terrifying
– or it can be one of the most fruitful and gratifying
states that encourages you to really live in the
moment and have faith in yourself and the world
around you. Some of the toughest experiences of
my life (losing my dad) have birthed some of the
very best outcomes and made me a bigger, kinder,
and more grateful person. Quitting my job and
taking an unpaid internship led me to a much more
satisfying career. And being open to love even in
the most unexpected place has given me the most
extraordinary partner and companion.
So appreciate life as it unfolds, be brave, and learn to
love an adventure. We are so lucky!
Hadley Clark ’91 lives with his wife Sara and daughters
Hannah, 5, and Madeline, 3, in Mamaroneck, New
York, and works as an analyst for Case Pomeroy, an
investment holding company in New York City.
After graduating with a degree in geography
and environmental studies from Ohio Wesleyan
University in 1995, Hadley moved to Boston and
began working as an analyst for an information
Hadley Clark ’91 Joins Family Business
to work his way up the company ladder at Case
Pomeroy with hopes of some day taking over the
helm.
“It was at Brewster where I found a lot of interest
and confidence in myself through my successes in
math and science classes and this has definitely
carried over to what I’m doing today. Case Pomeroy
is a small office and there’s little bureaucracy, which
is nice. Everyone collaborates. It was an interesting
place to start because most everyone has worked
here for over 20 years. I made a point of taking
(and thankfully passing!) the chartered financial
analyst (CFA) exams that show I have the credentials
to work at such a company and am not here
simply because I am the CEO’s son. (My mother’s
grandfather co-founded the business.)
“I primarily manage the marketable securities
invested by the firm and there is a ton of analytical
work on company reports, financial statements,
economic data, projections, and valuations.”
As far as having any concerns about returning to his
family business, Hadley has none. Family members
and businesses obviously differ to the point where
making a generalization as to joining family
businesses is meaningless, but in Hadley’s case it
has been beneficial to both Hadley and the family
business. Hadley’s reasoning and approach, however,
makes it clear as to why Case Pomeroy has such a
promising future leader.
“I don’t think I could ever join an organization simply
because it was the family business. For me, I could
only work where I was not only qualified, but where
I could contribute meaningfully and be passionate
about it.”
more finance and investing. I initially wanted to
get a master’s in informational systems at Boston
University but thought it would be more practical to
go full-time for an MBA as well. It turned out that
I enjoyed the MBA finance and investing courses
much more that I thought I would, much to my
surprise.”
We discussed joining family businesses, as I had
planned to return to teach at the school my family
had owned and run for generations but shied away
as the reaction from some of the faculty questioned
possible favoritism. Hadley’s decision was more
measured.
“All my previous jobs in Boston were invaluable.
They were not only diverse experiences but also
enabled me to discover my strength and what truly
interested me. For a while the thought of moving to
New York to join Case Pomeroy – the family business
that my father had run since my mother’s father
retired – had not really crossed my mind. However,
there was a lot of analytical work there. When I
spoke with my dad about the possibility of joining
the family business, he was very clear with me about
his overall expectations of my work.
“I joined the company in early 2004 and have
enjoyed working with other employees and my
father ever since, and I couldn’t be happier with my
decision to join the family business.
“As my father was working toward semi-retirement,
he left the day-to-day responsibilities up to me, as
he has done with all the other employees. While
he is not in the office daily, he is always available
when major decisions are made. Otherwise, he relies
on the rest of us to do our best for the company. I
wasn’t certain how our relationship would work out
in the office. Ironically, the hardest part has been
to refrain from discussing business when we are
together during family gatherings. “
Building Confidence
At Brewster Hadley was extremely polite, reserved,
modest, and as he readily admits, somewhat lacking
in confidence. Through his work and experience, he
has gained the strengths, knowledge, and confidence
The Clarks: Hadley and Sara with daughters Hannah, 5, (on left) and Madeline, 3.
It was at Brewster where I found a lot
of interest and confidence in myself
through my successes in math
and science classes and this has
definitely carried over to
what I’m doing today.
Wolfeboro Jet-Ski Rentals
While vacationing with his family in Florida last
March, Kyle Drouin ’11, his brother Nate ’10, and
their dad decided to rent jet skis. Back in the hotel
that evening, an idea surfaced in Kyle. “This would be
a sick idea to do in Wolfeboro, rent jet skis,” he said.
“We started brainstorming that night, and I called
my friend Jake a few hours later.”
Back in chilly Wolfeboro when not busy with
Brewster commitments, the brothers and friend,
Jake Alden ’11, began researching and planning their
warm-weather venture. Although there was another
local business that rented personal watercraft, they
still thought the market could support a second
rental business. They advertise that they “have the
cheapest rates on the lake with the newest Jet Skis.”
Nate did a lot of the upfront work, handling
the company document set up with the state,
investigating the requirements of issuing temporary
boating licenses, securing the initial start-up funding
and business insurance, and finding a rental location
along the Wolfeboro waterfront.
Initially, the business partners wanted to rent dock
space near the M.S. Mount Washington on Wolfeboro
Bay. When the town wouldn’t approve a permit, they
found space on Wolfeboro’s Back Bay with a nearby
office at Durgin Stables.
With their start-up money, funded with the help
of their parents, they purchased four three-person
Sea-Doos, the quietest personal watercraft on the
market, according to the boys. They opened for
business in June and until they closed at the end of
August, they had customers all but two days during
the season. Business was good, if not a little tiring.
The partners originally planned to each take two
days off a week, however, an unexpected internship
opportunity in Boston came along for recent graduate
Nate that he couldn’t pass up. The daily business
operations were left to Jake and Kyle, and Jake isn’t
sure he even allowed himself to take a day off.
“I tried to get Jake to take a day off, but he came in
anyway,” Kyle said. Perhaps a day off came easier
for Kyle, who had experience operating his own car
detailing business the previous summer. Jake had
spent the previous four summers busing tables at a
local restaurant and now that he was working in his
own business, he found it difficult to stay away.
“I felt like I needed to be there at all times so I could
make sure everything was running properly,” he
explained. “It’s not like I don’t trust Kyle because I do.
I would just feel bad for him being there all alone,
and I guess you could say I am addicted to working.”
One of the biggest challenges at first was the
scheduling and keeping track of who was coming
in and for how long they were renting. “We had to
be careful not to overbook, but we figured that out
pretty easy at the beginning,” Jake said. Because the
new business owners were trying to keep overhead
low, they used their personal cell phones for
business, which meant answering calls at all hours to
book rental times.
ChallengesToward the end of the summer they realized they
were losing money on gas. Initially, fuel was part
of the rental fee but when they realized they were
losing money on this aspect of the rental, they
needed to make an adjustment and began charging
for amount of fuel used.
They learned that not all customers are honest. “One
guy said he ran out of gas in the middle of the lake,
and we couldn’t figure this out. It turned out he was
siphoning gas and putting it in his boat,” Kyle said.
To issue a temporary 14-day boating license, the
business owners had to make sure their customers
were at least 18 and could pass a 25-question online
test regarding boating safety. “Most people do
pass it, it’s all common sense stuff basically,” Jake
explained. “But one guy took it three times before he
finally passed,” Kyle added.
In business, every day has the potential for
excitement like the day actor Jimmy Fallon came in
to Wolfeboro Jet-Ski Rentals. “It was very exciting to
have Jimmy come in and rent from us,” Jake said. “I
knew who he was right when he came in. I wanted
to run up to him and shake his hand and such, but
I held back not to seem like a crazy fan because I
wanted him to actually rent a jet ski.”
He rented for an entire week and said he would be
back next year and that our service was great, Kyle
added.
The Brewster Influence The boys attributed the collaborative learning
environment and team approach at Brewster to part
of their success. They didn’t discount their friendship,
even though they had heard the warnings about
going into business with friends. “Make sure you
have a good friendship,” Kyle said of anyone thinking
about entering a business partnership with his or her
friends.
“Our dads put money down that we would wring
each other’s necks,” Jake said. “We know each other
so well, it’s just kind of easy,” Kyle added.
They also learned the value of local business
relations. The local Wake Riders store would send
customers their way and in return Wolfeboro Jet-Skis
carries limited Wake Riders’ inventory. They also
have a relationship with a local boatyard where they
purchase gas and have their Sea-Doos repaired, an
ongoing business necessity of keeping them in good,
safe condition.
What’s Next?“This summer we will pay off loans and some of the
money will be reinvested into the business,” Kyle
said. After looking over the financials, they may even
hire a part-time employee, Jake said.
“I think it will be a lot easier this year. I think we did
a good job,” Kyle said.
To learn more or make a reservation, contact:
[email protected] or find them on
Facebook.
HOOPLA
How A Girl From Jamaica Survives Winter in Wolfeboro
Make the best of the winter and do fun activities like go sledding with your
friends or cuddle up in the lounge with a blanket and watch some movies.
Have a snowball fight! Do things you’ve never done before like skiing, it’s fun!
Snowboarding is next on my list.
Advice for students from the tropics? Bring a coat!
I can look back at my three years and proudly say that I am a fellow wearer of
long sleeves. I have met people from all over the world who – at the end of their
time at school here – carry their new adapting abilities to the larger world and
thrive because of their unique and welcoming Brewster Academy experience.
Ashley was looking forward to enjoying her March break under the warm Jamaican
sun.
Ashley is joined on campus by fellow Jamaicans Alex Berry ’13 and faculty member
Shamar Whyte.
Make the best of the winter and do
fun activities like go sledding with
your friends or cuddle up in the
lounge with a blanket and watch
some movies. Have a snowball fight!
Do things you’ve never done before
like skiing, it’s fun! Snowboarding is
next on my list.
ow does a girl from Jamaica survive winter (three winters, actually) in
New Hampshire? Ashley Rose ’11 from Kingston reveals her secrets
of thriving in a place far from the tropical breezes and swaying palms
prevalent in her homeland.
I was surrounded by people wearing long sleeves with thick collared blazers flung
over their chair backs. The unfamiliar accents of my fellow classmates startled
me, and it was at that moment I realized that I was no longer in Jamaica.
I arrived at Brewster in the fall of 2008, about to begin my sophomore year. I was
extremely excited about my new experience. I was ready to meet new people and
discover a new place. “I like your accent!” was probably the most frequent phrase
I encountered in my first September at Brewster. “Me?” I thought to myself.
Contrary to popular belief, I greatly anticipated my first winter. I long awaited the
joy of making a snow angel or having a snowball
fight with my friends after school. I wanted to
wear a furry winter coat and tall heavy boots as
I trudged through the unfamiliar plush terrain. I
even laced up my first pair of skates and joined
the girls’ junior varsity ice hockey team and can
proudly say I’m a three-year member.
By the time mid-February came around, though,
my arm was tired from pitching snow balls, my
fluffy coat was full of stains, and my novice
winter fun was coming to an end.
Biggest winter surprise: Seeing the immense body of water that is Lake
Winnipesaukee freeze completely for the first time was a phenomenon that I will
never forget.
Strangest winter reference: “It’s just like hockey.” Mr. Palmer would make this
unusual reference about something in U.S. History to hockey. It was very out of
place for me.
What she likes least about winter: It gets so dark so early; it’s so tiring.
Hot drink on a cold day: Apple cider. I had never had it before coming to
Brewster.
Survival tips: I play ice hockey, listen to music, and talk to people from home
more frequently, and I take time to appreciate the beauty of winter. Before I
came to Brewster I had really only seen flurries and not the quantity of snow we
have had.
Wolfeboro Jet-Ski Rentals
1955
Millie (Parker) Hill and husband Norm Hill ‘54
are enjoying a quiet life in Tennessee but enjoy
traveling. Last year they went to Cuba, and they will
be in Miami later this year for a Cuban reunion.
1964
Candace Crawshaw writes “It seems incredible
that I have been back in the USA for six years since
retirement and living and working overseas for 25
years. I continue to enjoy living in Sarasota, Florida,
reconnecting with former colleagues and school
friends. And I am fortunate to have a wonderful little
house in Wolfeboro that I use throughout the year
as I go back and forth for board meetings and spend
several weeks there in the summer. I love working
with the Brewster board and meeting with students
The last issue of Connections included a photo of members of the Class of 1960 who returned for their 50th reunion last June. We received feedback from readers asking us to identify their class members. Here we have included the photo again with classmates identified.
L to R: Dennis Bean, Robert Blanchard, Fenneke Ter Weele Joslin, Sandy Rines Hammond, Janet Hamm, Allan Bailey, John Reever, Wayne Cheney, Bonnie Stinchfield Fuller, Daniel Morgan, Herb Fernee, John Schmidt, Rick Hatton, and Bill Cantwell.
Candace Crawshaw ’64 with Xiao Lung (Little Dragon) and Sam.
Jon Skrzyszowski ’65 and wife Claire traveled through China in October and shared this photo of his Brewster hat taking a break at the Great Wall of China.
and just spending time walking the halls, recalling
the past. Hope to catch up with fellow classmates
either here in Florida or in Wolfeboro and for sure at
our 50th reunion in 2014!”
1976
Mel Foster writes that he sold his real estate and
insurance companies in 2007. He moved to Naples,
Florida, with his wife Brenda and dog Lola and built a
new home on a golf course.
1978
Debbie (Warner) Al-Harbi writes, “My husband
and I celebrated our 30th anniversary on December
20, 2010. All three of our children are doing great.
Samuel (our youngest) will gradaute this year. I
am a mental health counselor and own a website
business.”
Jim Bossange writes that he still lives in
Framingham, Massachusetts, with wife Patti and two
kids, and works in downtown Boston. They enjoy
spending time in northern New England where they
ski, hike, and camp.
Recollections
Although we usually reserve Recollections for
alumni who graduated prior to 1965, Patrick
Hayward ’74 shared this recollection with our
Alumni Office, and we thought Connections
readers would enjoy it.
After 37 years in business, Patrick retired to pursue
his passion for history. Although an avid history fan
beginning in the sixth grade, he credits his Brewster
teachers with igniting that passion.
“It was Headmaster Richard Vaughan and his
wife Peg who kept me in school at Brewster and
those two I could never thank them enough for
what they did. And, it was three history teachers
and one English teacher who I still respect today
for giving me the dream to go forward with my
historic research and to know that I can do it.
Those teachers are David Smith with his history
classes (even though I hated Russian history!);
Robert Richardson, with the knowledge that he
has and what he gave me on history he could
forget half of it and would still know more than
most of us will ever know! Harry Widman, my
last history teacher, was a big influence in my
history goals. Travis Ball, my English teacher,
kept me positive and encouraged me to shoot
for what I wanted. It has been 37 years since
I left Brewster and now I really am living my
dream. I am the town historian for Croydon,
New Hampshire, as well as a genealogist. My
wife Betty and I have a store in Newport, New
Hampshire, that is loaded with items from the
1600s to the present. I have over 20,000 books
and hundreds of thousands of pieces of paper
in my collection. From documents signed by
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to pictures
of Abraham Lincoln and more than 500 Civil War
letters and lots of Civil War artifacts, too.
I would like to say thank you to David, Bob, Harry,
and Travis … this is one sweet ride …”
If you have a Recollection you would like to share
with readers, please send it to Matt Hoopes at
Alex Ley writes, “I hope everyone is well. Enjoying
life in south Florida. Life is better than ever!”
David Rubin and wife Lisa live in Massachusetts with
daughter Lexie, 16, and their dogs Cooper and Dixie.
1981
In October Matt Baldwin shared that he had just
been offered a job working for an organic vegetable
farm in Paonia, Colorado.
Karen (Lambert) Greene writes: “I am married
to David and we have two children: a 24 year-old
daughter and 16 year-old son. I teach in Bermuda,
and because of my job, it is difficult to attend alumni
weekends, but I will make every effort to be there for
my [next reunion].”
Ted Lambrukos writes, “My wife and I still live in
Concord, New Hampshire. We celebrated our 15th
wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy this past
summer. I am working as the director of Second
Start, an alternative high school. Life is good.”
Brendan J. Sipple and his son, Brendan P., 14, live
in Austin, Texas, with their dog Bazil. Brendan is a
general sales manager for Maserati, Spyker, Saab.
“Lots of work, lots of hours. Brendan P. is getting real
fast on his dirt bike. Race season is coming up so
lots of training lately. Come to Texas, look us up, and
come see Austin.”
Mike Case and wife Colleen live in Vermont with
their three children: Thomas, Matthew, and Sydney
and dog Kasey.
1980
Mike Adams lives in Grand Junction, Colorado,
where he works at the VA Medical Center as a
physician assistant in the emergency department.
“I’ve been married to Sharon for 22 years, and
we have a daughter, Stephanie, who’s a senior at
the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley. I
moved to Colorado in 1998 after completing the P.A.
program at Albany Medical College and lived near
Telluride where I worked in a rural health center for
12 years. I was in the Colorado National Guard from
2000-2004 and spent a year in Baghdad in support
of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I’m still in touch with
Jock Bradley.”
Griff Campbell, wife Susan, their son, Griff, 11, and
dog Mutant, live in Delaware. “Life is great! Find me
on Facebook.”
In January the community was saddened
to learn that the mother, grandmother,
and grandfather of Thomas Robinson ’09
all passed away within a three-week span
of each other. Robinson, a sophomore,
is a forward for the University of Kansas
Jayhawks basketball team. Many have
asked if there is anything they can do for
Robinson and his 9 year-old sister Jayla. “My
main concern is for my sister. It would be
comforting for my mother to know Jayla
went to college and that is why we set up
mom’s scholarship fund,” Robinson said in a
letter. Donations may be made to the Lisa
Robinson Scholarship Fund, for the benefit
of her daughter, Jayla, c/o SNR Denton,
1301 K Street NW, Suite 600, East Tower,
Washington, DC 20005-3364
Donations also may be made electronically
at www.lisarobinsonscholarshipfund.com.
Rob Shickel ’86 and his family stopped by Reunion Village at the Head of the Charles Regatta.
Cathy Stovell lives in Bermuda and has been married
for four years. She plans to attend the 30th Brewster
reunion this June and will try to bring fellow
Bermudians with her.
1982
Donna (Strodel) Aldridge and husband Brian live in
Wheaton, Illinois, with their three children: Katherine,
16, Mary, 15, and Andrew, 12. Donna writes, “I have
been a counselor in the Wheaton College Counseling
Center for three years after leaving the hospital
emergency room. My kids keep me very busy with
sports, cheerleading, and other activities. Hard to
believe that my oldest is now looking at colleges!”
1983
David Manning, his wife, Kellee, and their two
children, Christopher, 17, and Erin, 14, live in
Hooksett, New Hampshire. Dave writes “I’m working
for Microsoft as an engineer in the healthcare
industry. …I have started the college tour with my
son. He is looking to stay in the New England area,
so we will be doing a few road trips in the next year.
We are planning a family vacation for this February
to Portugal. We went there four years ago, and really
enjoyed our time in the Algarve region.”
1985
Joel Coffman wrote that his kids are doing well.
Kayla is at Northeastern University and Chelsey
is at Westfield State University. His son Tyler is a
sophomore at East Bridgewater High School. “My
wonderful wife, my rock for 22 years, is also doing
well.” Joel is on the mend from complications due
to Crohn’s disease, and he and his family recently
completed a walk and raised more than a $1,000 for
Crohn’s research.
1987
Charles (C.B.) Currier lives in Annapolis, Maryland,
with wife Melissa and twins Charles and Eleanor.
“These days I’m not doing any political work; the
economy and poor candidates contributed to my
change in work. I’m the director of engineering for
Resilience Corporation, a security appliance company.
Pratt Institute and fell into the furniture industry
and have never looked back. I worked for Crate &
Barrel for seven years and for the past three years
at Environment Furniture. I enjoy designing and
developing a wide variety of products and work with
some top designers such as Jean-Marie Massaud. My
work has taken me around the world from Indonesia
and Japan to Brazil and Australia, and I will be going
to New Zealand later this year.”
1992
Michael Kupper, a busy father of three, recently
moved his family to Austin where he sells real
estate for D.R. Horton Builders. Kate Radley and
fiance Lynn Ellis are planning a June wedding in
Denver. Kate is an attorney with Radley, Sandoval,
Southerland LLC in Denver.
1993
Isaac King was married two years ago and now has
a daughter Lola, 1 !. He lives in Springfield, Illinois,
and enjoys hunting, fishing, and camping. “We can
eat venison and fish almost all year long, eat from
our garden in the summer and fall, and freeze bags
of the plentiful sweet corn for the winter.”
Kate Radley ’92 and Lynn Ellis are planning a June wedding.
I’ve returned to sailing and race a Melges 24 and
cruise on an Alberg 30.The kids are just starting to
do some sailing and that’s great. I’m considering
a possible change to either New Hampshire or
northeastern Massachusetts.”
1988
Jonathan Gates lives in Portland, Maine, with
wife Lauren and children Henry, 11, and Lillian, 9.
Jonathan owns and runs the Scarborough Grounds
Cafe. He’s in touch with Mike Massotta ‘89,
Dan Cote ‘90, and former faculty member David
Peterson.
1989
Bart Hornor lives in Concord, New Hampshire, with
wife Debbie and children Camden, 7, and Ben, 2. His
kids keep him very busy, but when he can, he enjoys
visiting Booth Bay and Camden in Maine. Bart is the
retail manager for Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts Stores Inc.
1990
David Putzel lives in Evanston, Illinois, with wife
Anna and children Ella, 5, and Wyatt, 2. “In 1998
I received my master’s in industrial design from
Eric Kaskiewicz ’99 and his bride Christina who were married in September in Dover, New Hampshire. Amy (Kaskiewicz) Streck ‘95 and husband Jim are on the right and Michael Kaskiewicz ’96 and wife Jaime are on the left.
Jason Reaume doesn’t think he can make his 15th
reunion in June as he’s scheduled to deploy to
Afghanistan in early summer. “I’m eligible for a
Sergeant First Class promotion this year. I’ve been in
the Army for 10 years and probably will stay in for
another 10 and then retire. I still keep in touch with
Mark Carlson, who is married and doing well.”
1994
Mo Fallon is director of photography for the Travel
Channel’s The Wild Within. In this new series, host
Steven Rinella uses his “pioneer spirit, resourceful
mentality, and outdoor skills to explore the
subcultures that cherish and maintain their hunting,
fishing, and gathering traditions,” and Mo is right
there capturing it all on film. Read more about Mo in
Hoopla on page 22.
Andreas Ninios lives and works in Alexandria,
Virginia, where he is a conference planner for
a government contractor. “I just ran my sixth
marathon in 3:48:59 so all the training paid off.”
Andreas was considering joining the Peace Corps
but has decided to stay in northern Virginia and
continue working with the Big Brothers Big Sisters
organization where he has been mentoring a 12
year-old boy for the past three years. He was looking
forward to spending time with his parents in Greece
over the holidays.
1996
Erick Faul, a software sales manager, relocated from
New Hampshire to San Antonio 10 years ago. He
recently attended the University of Texas vs. University
of Oklahoma hoops game with other Brewster fans.
Heather (Arkwell) Phipps writes that husband
Nathan, their two sons Zachary, 8, and Jacob, 6, and
dog Baxter live in North Berwick, Maine. Heather
writes that she is “loving being a mom, it’s my world.
Excited for 15-year reunion 2011. See you there.”
Edmund Wilfong and his two Labs, Ralph and Alice,
live in Texas, where he is attending the South Texas
College of Law.
1998
Jill Krumsick graduated from the University of
Colorado at Boulder in 2004 and received her MBA
from Wake Forest University in 2008. She has been
living and working in Dallas for two years where
she is a digital strategist for the Richards Group, the
largest independently owned advertising agency in
the United States.
1999
Greg Casey, wife Jessica, and son Griffin, 2, live in
Massachusetts. When he wrote last summer the
family was expecting a second child in November.
Greg writes that “Life is Good! I travel quite a bit for
work, so if you live in Atlanta, Philly, Dallas, Chicago,
Denver, Seattle or Vegas, then let’s get together! I
hope everyone is well!”
Eric Joseph lives and works in Florida for Walt
Disney Company in what he describes as “the busiest
merchandise location in the entire corporation.”
Travis Larsen lives in Chillmark, Massachusetts,
Jason Reaume ’93 will likely miss his 15th reunion due to his deployment to Afghanistan.
Pick up Those STXSunday, May 22 at 2 p.m. is the annual alumni vs. boys’ varsity lacrosse game. This springtime tradition brings alumni, parents, and friends back to campus for an afternoon of friendly competition on Palazzo Field. A player BBQ follows at the Pinckney Boathouse.
More Information: [email protected]
with his Boston Terrier, Sophie. He and Melissa were
expecting a child in late January.
In February Nick Millette began Captain Upgrade
training on the DC10. “I am flying all over the world
but still living in Richmond, Virginia. I’ve been flying
for Omni Air International, an international charter
airline, for almost four years now. Omni flies mostly
military charters.”
Jenna (Marks) O’Donnell writes, “On December 6,
2009, I married the love of my life and best friend,
Mark O’Donnell. We were married on the island
of Nantucket during Christmas Stroll weekend.
We were celebrated by 50 close friends and family
members at St. Mary Our Lady of the Isle Church
and the White Elephant Hotel. We are equally
excited to share that we are expecting our first child,
a son, this spring!”
2000
Captain Morgan Huntley acquired Vanquish Boats in
2010 and relocated the company to Newport, Rhode
Island. Morgan has spent the past 15 years building
boats; after Brewster he graduated from the Landing
School and the International Yacht Restoration
School. www.vanquishboats.com
2001
Reagan Jobe won’t be at his 10th reunion. “I am
marrying Courtney, the love of my life on June 4
in Dallas - the same weekend as my 10th reunion.
Sorry I won’t be able to make it.” Reagan works with
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty in
Dallas as the director of digital and new media as
well as the head of photography.
Todd Johnson writes, “I was married to my beautiful
wife Amanda on June 12, 2010, and we look forward
to seeing everyone for the 10-year reunion.”
Jeff Krumsick is finishing his studies at the
University of Denver, and enjoys yoga, cooking,
running, and snowboarding.
2002
Hans Larsen completed his master’s at Southern
Methodist University and works for EA (Electronic
Arts) as a designer in the video/gaming industry.
He says he’s found his dream job! He credits his
internship in the Tech Office at Brewster as the spark
that lit his passion for technology.
Marie Maseng has moved from New York City to
Boston. “I am working for Greenline Realty using
my sales license as well as being an interior design
consultant for residential property management
companies in and around Boston.”Brewster Family: Mary Fallon, former English teacher, Dennis Morgan and Sheila Brown, Gillian Brown ’01, Mo Fallon ’94, Sam Brown ‘06, Doug Fallon, former director of summer programs, and Hannah Fallon ’00 celebrating the marriage of Gillian and Mo in Mexico last May.
Jenna Marks O’Donnell ‘99 and husband Mark.
On the job flying around the world: Nick Millette ‘99
Zach Ross ’05 enjoying life Down Under.
Alex Phillips writes, “I spent 2010 devoted to
developing a residential mentorship program
for young adults in the mountains near Boulder,
Colorado. Now I am writing from Todos Santos. Viva
Mexico! I’ll be north bound in March. Adios.”
2004
Jeremy Krumsick lives in New York and works in the
real estate management industry. He loves scuba
diving and photography.
2005
Katie O’Connell transferred to the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst in 2008 and changed her
major to animal science with a minor in Spanish. She
will gradute this spring and is applying to the Peace
Corps before applying to veterinarian school. Katie
has two Bernese Mountain dogs, Jack and Jilly.
Zachary Ross is attending the Royal Melbourne
Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, and
recently received his MBA and earned the highest
distinction award. In September 2010, Zach, who is
a former Brewster rower, was selected by his college
to represent the school in the University Games.
He rowed a scull for the first time and finished with
one of the fastest times in the race and has enjoyed
playing rugby and cricket. Zach has spent time
traveling throughout Europe learning about business
models and presenting various marketing strategies.
He is headed back to New England for the spring.
Hannah Tameling sent a very creative card,
indicating that she indeed graduated from the
University of Iowa with a degree in studio art
and also received a certificate of entrepreneurial
management. She is currently living in Lombard,
Illinois, where she does jewelry repair. “I’m getting
my portfolio together in order to get my master’s in
textile design.”
Send us your Class Note, and we will do our best to include it in the
next BrewsterConnections and online: [email protected]
Silver Anniversary: Someone at Brewster is marking his or her 25th anniversary year with an ensemble of silver footwear. Can you guess who? The first alumnus/a who correctly identifies this person will win a $25 gift certificate to the campus store (on campus or online). Send your answer to [email protected]
We had no winners of last issue’s mystery photo, however, Charles Ford ’95 did correctly identify Byron Martin. Jed Jones and Tim Brooks were with Martin.
Mystery Photo
Grandparents’ DayMay 11 is Grandparents’ Day. We welcome Brewster grandparents to spend the day on campus with their grandchildren. Complete details and R.S.V.P. information will be mailed to grandparents. For more information, please contact Beth Hayes ‘81 in the Office of Parent Programs at 603-569-7133.
In MemoriamClass of 1930
Dorothy F. (Bennett) Morris
October 10, 2010
Melvin Village, New Hampshire
Class of 1936
Marion P. MacMartin
July 20, 2010
Seattle, Washington
Class of 1941
Bernard “Bun” McBride
November 20, 2010
Wolfeboro
Class of 1944
John F. Crinnian
January 9, 2011
Palm Harbor, Florida
Class of 1953
Harley P. Craigue
October 4, 2010
Rochester, New Hampshire
Class of 1954
Delma L. McIntire
September 25, 2010
Center Tuftonboro, New Hampshire
D. Gail (Piper) Roome
July 12, 2010
Center Tuftonboro, New Hampshire
Class of 1956
John J. Parker
January 2009
Miami, Florida
Class of 1964
Mazy A. (Rowe) Clough
December 6, 2010
Wolfeboro
Class of 1965
Robert N. Davis
July 3, 2010
Dorchester Center, Massachusetts
Former Trustee
James M. O’Brien
December 19, 2010
Montoursville, Pennyslvania
In celebration of the growing multicultural community within
independent schools in the Northeast, Dominique Aubry ’02 and her brother
Jean-Pierre Aubry (St. Paul’s School ’99) are organizing a multicultural alumni event
at Greenhouse in New York City on June 18, 2011. “The event will bring together alumni
of color from the many independent schools across the Northeast in order to meet,
share experiences, and express our gratitude to our alma maters,” Aubry explained.
If you would like to attend or want more information,
please contact Dominique at: [email protected]
Multicultural Alumni Reception
2007
Jenn O’Leary is an international relations major and
Spanish minor at Boston University. She spent the
fall studying at Universidad San Fransisco de Quito
in Ecuador.
2008
Hannah Byers writes: “I have been in Kodiak,
Alaska, since early July working for the Coast Guard
Communication station. My job is to be the first
responder to calls from mariners at sea. I enjoy the
job and the responsibility to make sure all mariners
are safe. When I am off from work, I enjoy the
Alaskan life by fishing, hiking, or sight seeing finding
Kodiak bears (which are the biggest bears in North
America) or other wildlife. I love living here and
seeing all the breathtaking scenery and mountains.
Kodiak is a small fishing town but has a lot to it,
much history and great people to meet. I will be here
until summer 2013 and after that I am hoping to
extend and live in Alaska.”
Caitlyn Edson is a junior at Simmons College and
studying in England this semester.
2009
Peter Rizzo, a sophomore at the University of New
Hampshire, is studying at Regents College in London,
England, this semester. He looks forward to traveling
through Europe and would love to meet up with any
Brewster alumni in the UK area. Peter’s e-mail is:
Philadelphia 76er Craig Brackins ‘07 returned to Brewster in January to watch his former team in action. With Brackins at the Smith Center is (l to r) Joe Fernald, dean of students, Chezney Aubert ‘07, and Fred Garnsey, assistant director of admission and coach.
Reunion2011
June 3-5
FRIDAY, JUNE 3Welcome Reception50th Reunion Class Dinner
SATURDAY, JUNE 4Campus TourAll-School AssemblyAlumni ParadeReunion LuncheonTennis Round RobinLake Cruise on Winnipesaukee 25th Reunion Class DinnerDinner and Dancing All Classes
SUNDAY, JUNE 5Farewell Brunch
Questions? Contact Beth Hayes ‘81, director of annual giving and special events, at 603-569-7133 or [email protected]
Check out the Brewster AcademyAlumni Reunion Facebook pages.
Limited dorm rooms available on Friday and Saturday nights. For local accommodations go to www.brewsteracademy.org/lodging
Complete details and registration materials will be mailed and are available at www.brewsteracademy.org/reunion
Histo!yHisto!yHisto!yHisto!yWriting Brewster’sHisto!yOrigins of The Brewster Story
www.brewsteracademy.org/giving
Why Give Back to Brewster?
Students learned to evaluate, analyze, and discern and not just to follow the pack or the latest craze. Talk about preparation for life!
Brewster reinforced my confidence to take responsibility for my own life. Which is why I support Brewster.
If you would like to give back to Brewster, please contact the Alumni and Development Office (603.569.7133), or for your convenience, you may give online: www.brewsteracademy.org/giving
Daniel T. Mudge, President(Tapley-Ann ’98, Ashley ’02)
Leslie N. H. MacLeod, Vice President(Todd ’97)
Roy C. Ballentine, Treasurer(Brian ’97, Susan ’94)
Helen S. Hamilton, Secretary
Michael Appe
C. Richard CarlsonEstate Trustee
David L. Carlson ’54
Arthur W. Coviello Jr.
Candace Crawshaw ’64
Claudine Curran(Alex ’06, Gen ’11)
George J. Dohrmann III (George ’05, Geoffrey ’12)
Stephen Farrell Sr.(Stephen Jr. ’12)
Peter Ford ’80
Douglas H. Greeff (Hilary ’11)
Michael Keys (Matthew ’04)
Barbara Naramore
Arthur O. RicciEstate Trustee
The Reverend Nancy Spencer SmithEstate Trustee
Steven R. Webster (Brooke ’08, Tori ’11)
A.B. Whitfield(Trey ’89)
Trustee Emeriti
Walter N. “Rink” DeWitt ’54 (Kate ’86)
P. Fred Gridley ’53 (Deborah ’81)
Grant M. Wilson (Grant ’87, Kirsten ’88)
BREWSTER ACADEMY
2010-2011Board of Trustees
Photo by Amy Misera ’12
Topher Grace ’97, Sargent Hall Productions Release Take Me Home Tonight
A Fulbright Scholar in the Arab World
Louder Than A Bomb Explodes at Brewster
Summer Programs Office • 603-569-7155 • [email protected]
It’s a school! It’s a camp!Study English, math, or ESL in the morning.
Hands on electives in science, computer graphics, French and Spanish.Enjoy outdoor adventures in the afternoon.
See why Wolfeboro is such a popular summer resort. Come join us.
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