Sam Dykema ’71 a Student of the World TABLE of CONTENTS
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SPRING The Laker 2020 Sam Dykema ’71 A Student of the World TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORS Shellie Javier Kala Montoya 3 16 From the Top 3: Reasons to be Excited GRAPHIC DESIGNER Head of School About the ULS Garden John Ritter PHOTOGRAPHY Danielle Nelson Shellie Javier PRINTER 4 17 Thomas Press (Waukesha, Wis.) Hawk Hill Senior Spotlight: Happenings Joe Gehl ’20 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Adam Rix, President Martin Ditkof, Vice President & Secretary Greg Ploch ’80, Treasurer McKenna Bryant ’95 Hank Ehrsam 7 18 Scott Gass Faculty Feature: Alumni Speaker Series: John Griner Kirsten Huberty Molly Seidel ’12 Alex Inman Holly Templeton Myhre ’95 John O’Horo Ed Schaefer ’80 Joan Shafer Margaret Tackes 10 20 The Laker is published by University Hawk Hill History: Alumni Lake School. It is mailed free of charge, Field Hockey News twice a year, to alumni and friends of the school. To update your address or share comments and ideas: Email: [email protected] 12 22 Call: 262-367-6011 Feature: Sam Dykema ’71 Lakers Write: Advancement Office, Student of the World We’ve Lost University Lake School, P.O. Box 290, Hartland, WI 53029 2 | LAKE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL I am writing today during a time unlike any other — and on a Hawk Hill that looks and feels very different. First and foremost, I hope that all members of our Laker community are doing well. I also want to thank all of you who are serving on the front lines during this pandemic. During this unprecedented time, I often reflect on community and resilience. Community and personal relationships are a hallmark of our school. Even as we miss our students, faculty and staff, we are working hard to continue special traditions that we all cherish — school assemblies are now enjoyed online, Lower School announcements happen with a new volunteer every day, and Upper School faculty personally delivered caps and gowns to seniors. When we return to on-campus learning, the importance of being together will have a new meaning. The resilience of our students and our faculty is remarkable. Student engagement and dedication during distance learning continues to be a positive reflection on them and the good work of the faculty. Faculty support — in so many ways — makes it possible for ULS to continue to fulfill its mission and make a profound difference for each student. I hope that everyone remains safe and healthy during this pandemic. Thank you to those who have offered renewed support to help ensure that each student and our school thrives. As is referenced in our strategic planning tagline, our best days are ahead of us as we soar beyond brilliance. Onward, Timothy Horner Interim Head of School Head of Administration SPRING 2020 | 3 1 2 3 HAWK HILL HAPPENINGS STRATEGIC PLANNING & VISIONING DAY UPDATE students. The solar field is located on ULS land near the corner of Nagawicka and Vettleson roads. ULS is working through the “Soaring Beyond Brilliance” strategic planning process to build a vision for the This partnership is part of We Energies’ future of our school. The seeds of this effort were innovative Solar Now program, which will create 35 planted during the winter 2018 Brilliance Assembly megawatts of clean, renewable energy that benefits and dovetails with the completion of a renewed all We Energies customers. The installation provides accreditation process through ISACS (Independent a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about Schools Association of the Central States). renewable energy. Through this agreement, ULS will offset its carbon footprint and develop applied Visioning Day, hosted in January, was a great success science curriculum for its students. that produced new ideas and insights from our ULS community of alumni, parents, faculty and students. 2 Mr. Bicha-Dale Retirement In April, Initiatives Day provided an opportunity for Dar Bicha-Dale, ULS Technology Specialist, will be us to create initiatives that will support the vision, retiring in June. He has been the man behind the goals and strategic priorities that developed on electronic curtain since June 2000, making sure Visioning Day. These ideas will be translated into everything is running smoothly on campus. And by actionable items — projects, programs and activities everything, we mean the network, our datacenter, for consideration in the Soaring Beyond Brilliance campus devices, user support (hardware and Strategic Plan. software), printers, class bells, phones, Internet, Google, PCR, security filtering, and generally all 1 Solar Installation computer woes. ULS partnered with We Energies on a 1,200 solar panel installation that will generate clean energy While we are sad to see him go (and a little scared), and a unique learning opportunity for ULS we are happy for him and his wife Nancy to finally 4 | LAKER 4 enjoy retirement together. Mrs. Bicha-Dale taught or School Counselor, Peter Humphreys-Loving. After at ULS for 37 years. According to Mr. Bicha-Dale, the donations were counted, the “winner” was she has quite the list of activities to keep them Humphreys-Loving. busy. “I’m looking forward to more gardening, cooking, reading, and more time spent in fiber More than 400 alumni, teachers, students, parents and arts, like spinning and weaving,” he said. friends helped make #GivingTuesday a success for ULS. The community gave more than $52,000 in a single His last official day is June 30, but plans to day. The gifts will support need-based scholarships, continue supporting various facets of ULS tech teachers and campus projects. Thank you to everyone behind the scenes, on a part-time basis. Good who participated! luck, Mr. Bicha-Dale! Thank you for 20 years of keeping us up and running. 3 Young Alums Panel Young alumni were welcomed back to Hawk Hill prior to Thanksgiving break to visit faculty and participate in a special college panel for Upper and Middle School students. The panel participants offered insight on their college experiences and explained how ULS prepared them for the rigors of higher education. Of the 14 participants, Cassidy Hill ’17 is shown here. 4 Giving Tuesday Made a Big Splash To encourage donations for #GivingTuesday last fall, those who donated could vote for one of three people to take a polar bear plunge into the cold waters of Nagawicka Lake in Delafield: Interim Head of School and Head of Administration, Timothy Horner; College Counselor Emeritus, Mike Dolan; SPRING 2020 | 5 5 6 7 8 5 Barn Bash Foundation Teacher Fellow. Only 100 teachers The annual Barn Bash during Homecoming and receive this award each year in Wisconsin. She will Alumni Weekend brought out members of the receive a $6,000 grant and will be recognized at a Laker Community to Hawk Hill to enjoy live music luncheon this spring. ULS will also receive a and mingling with alumni, faculty and parents. $6,000 grant. (Pictured left to right) Tracy Evinrude-Coogan, Ruth Koepke Heimke, Jean Gmur Busch, and The Kohl Teacher Fellowship program recognizes Sydney Meyer Shimko from the class of ’94 and supports teaching excellence and innovation in enjoyed a 25th Anniversary Reunion Dinner and the state of Wisconsin. Recipients are chosen based kept the reunion going at the Barn Bash. on “superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others, and 6 Grace Liska-Verdu ’19 stopped by to sign a copy their leadership and service within and outside the of her book, “Lost In The Laundry: The Story of classroom,” according to the Herb Kohl Educational the Separated Sock.” Liska-Verdu wrote and Foundation website. illustrated the book. It is available for purchase on Amazon. Congratulations, Grace! Señora Mocchi teaches Spanish II through AP Spanish in the Upper School. She has spent 25 years teaching 7 Sports Update the language and culture she loves. “I am honored to The ULS women’s varsity basketball team was be chosen for this fellowship,” said Señora Mocchi. “I the Indian Trails Conference Champion for the want to thank my colleagues and my students who second year in a row. They were 17-4 overall and inspire me every day. I have always strived to create a 12-1 in conference. Way to go, Lakers! safe and supportive place for students to learn, take risks, fail, pick themselves up, and grow. Teaching with 8 Kohl Award Recipient a passionate mind and a liberated heart has made all US Spanish teacher Señora Ann Mocchi was the difference in what I share with my students selected as a 2020 Herb Kohl Educational every single day.” 6 | LAKER FACULTY FEATURE KIRSTEN HUBERTY Kirsten Huberty is the Upper School physical sciences teacher. She teaches physics, chemistry, AP chemistry, and intro to computer science. Kirsten is also the facilitator of the STEAM Club. Q: How did you become interested in teaching? my dad suggested I go to MSOE for an engineering degree and then get my teaching certificate. So that’s A: I knew I wanted to be a teacher since high school. what I did! My dad is a professor, my grandpa was a professor, and my grandma was a teacher. In high school I would Q: Why do you like teaching science? volunteer a lot with youth groups and so I knew I liked working with kids. I knew I wanted to go into teaching, A: It’s just so fun. I’ve always liked learning how things but I took a bit of an untraditional path. I was accepted work and being able to do hands-on work. Learning to UW-Madison, but my parents couldn’t afford to how the universe works is cool — knowing how to send me there.