TALK ThistleThistle TALK Art from the heart Middle Schoolers expressed themselves in creating “Postcards to the Congo,” a unique component of the City as Our Campus initiative. (See story on page 13.) Winchester Nonprofi t Org. Honoring yesterday, Thurston U.S. Postage School PAID inspiring tomorrow. Pittsburgh, PA 555 Morewood Avenue Permit No. 145 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 The evolution of WT www.winchesterthurston.org in academics, arts, and athletics in this issue: Commencement 2007 A Fond Farewell City as Our Campus Expanding minds in expanding ways Ann Peterson Refl ections on a beloved art teacher Winchester Thurston School Autumn 2007 TALK A magnifi cent showing Thistle WT's own art gallery played host in November to LUMINOUS, MAGAZINE a glittering display of 14 local and nationally recognized glass Volume 35 • Number 1 Autumn 2007 artists, including faculty members Carl Jones, Mary Martin ’88, and Tina Plaks, along with eighth-grader Red Otto. Thistletalk is published two times per year by Winchester Thurston School for alumnae/i, parents, students, and friends of the school. Letters and suggestions are welcome. Please contact the Director of Communications, Winchester Thurston School, 555 Morewood Malone Scholars Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Editor Anne Flanagan Director of Communications fl [email protected] Assistant Editor Alison Wolfson Director of Alumnae/i Relations [email protected] Contributors David Ascheknas Alison D’Addieco John Holmes Carl Jones Mary Martin ’88 Karen Meyers ’72 Emily Sturman Allison Thompson Printing Herrmann Printing School Mission Winchester Thurston School actively engages each student in a challenging and inspiring learning process that develops the mind, motivates the passion to achieve, and cultivates the character to serve. Core Values We activate our Mission by creating a learning environment that promotes and instills appreciation for these fi ve Core Values: Critical Winchester Thurston School proudly acknowledges Thinking, Integrity, Empathy, Community, and Diversity. our 2007 – 2008 Malone Scholars, Winchester Thurston School Hannah Strong ’09 and Yin Yin Ou ’08. 555 Morewood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 These outstanding students received this distinction as the result of a Telephone: (412) 578-7500 $2 million grant from the Malone Family Foundation in recognition of www.winchesterthurston.org WT’s rigorous academic program that serves the needs of gifted and Content published in Thistletalk represents talented students. This national foundation selected Winchester Thurston opinions, ideas, and perspectives of the authors that are not necessarily those of the Trustees or as one of three top independent schools in the country to be awarded Administration of Winchester Thurston School. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, a grant in 2007. or edit any content submitted for publication in Thistletalk. Copyright © 2007 Winchester Thurston School. All Rights Reserved. VOL. 35 • NO.1 AUTUMN 2007 inside Features COVER STORY honoring yesterday, inspiring tomorrow 4 The evolution of WT in academics, arts, and athletics “... we are the luckiest” 14 Commencement 2007 city as our campus 12 Expanding minds in expanding ways generous spirit inspires a community 16 a tradition of achievement inspires our vision 2 the art of teaching LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Gary J. Niels and the teaching of art 18 proudly serving: reunion 2007 35 new board president 3 wt today 22 STUDENT PROFILES Summer Experiences SCHOOL NEWS Student Honors...Athletics Triumphs... Performing Arts Awards...and more. development news 34 class notes 36 Special Section 2006-2007 annual giving report page 45 About the Cover: The past meets the present The Thurston School’s 1901 basketball team plays host to members of contemporary WT lacrosse, cross country, and fi eld hockey teams thanks to the wonders of digital compositing. www.winchesterthurston.org 1 Gary J. Niels school A tradition of achievement of inspires our vision head with the Academic Enrichment and the Women and Girls Foundation of Challenge (AEC) program. Southwestern Pennsylvania at “Women A plethora of new academic in Sports: Leveling the Playing Field,” electives has been added to our which recognizes women and teenage Middle School curriculum, including girls who are making an impact on letter from the Robotics, Ethics, Asian Studies, and athletics throughout our region. MathCounts. Artistically, we remain vital and Faculty members continue to strong. Last June, Winchester Thurston t is always my joy at the start develop off-campus educational oppor- was awarded “Best Musical” for the sixth of each school year to relay the tunities that enhance the classroom year in a row at the region-wide Gene history of Winchester Thurston and laboratory experience through Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School to our new faculty, to City as Our Campus. Students have School Musicals. This fall, Dan Roth ’07 help them understand how their documented hate crimes in areas where and Rachel Dougherty ’10 were honored Iwork in the classroom connects to the racially motivated shootings occurred; in the third annual C.A.U.S.E. Challenge traditions and essence of the institution cut their own CDs in the state-of-the- High School Film Festival for their docu- and the vision of its founders. art recording studios at Manchester mentary films on the theme “Mutual Of course, I highlight the innova- Craftsmen’s Guild; and interacted with Impact: The Environment and You.” tive thinking and tenacity of Miss scientists at PPG Industries, Chevron, The growth of our enrollment is a Thurston and Miss Mitchell. I talk Rangos Research Center, and UPMC’s testament to our forward direction. We about the merger of their two schools Eye and Ear Clinic. This year, our are seeing high levels of retention among in 1935 and the reconstitution of the focus widens beyond our immediate current WT families, and increased school as a non-profit under a Board community to the larger world, as numbers of new families entering the in 1952. Finally, I describe how our six tenth-graders travel to Muscat, school. There is no doubt that our current campuses came to be, and the Oman to participate in the National expanded and improved facilities have transition to coeducation. I love to hear Association of Independent Schools’ contributed to our evolution. However, at the responses of our new faculty as they 20/20 Global Challenge, focused on the core of our 120-year success are our most often identify with the durability peace and confl ict resolution. people: the faculty and administrators of the school, its heroes, and its evolu- Our Upper School program was who devote their intellect, their energy, tion. For, like all schools that have stood r e c o g n i z e d f o r i t s b r e a d t h , d e p t h , and their time to our Mission. Our Board the test of time, Winchester Thurston and rigor in May, when we were one of Trustees, fueled by its belief in our has evolved and continues to do so. of only three schools nationwide to Mission and our future, models commit- Over the last two years our evolu- receive a Malone Family Foundation ment, engagement, and generosity that tion has manifested itself in many ways. grant to fund fi nancial aid for gifted and inspire me each day in my work. You’ll read about some of these expres- talented students. Today WT boasts exceptional sions in this issue of Thistletalk. Athletically, we’ve seen a rise in academic programs and standards, Academically, we have maintained competitiveness. Last year, the Upper an athletics program with rising our commitment to creating a chal- School Boys and Girls Basketball and achievements, and a highly celebrated lenging learning environment for each Boys Lacrosse teams all competed for arts program. In independent school student, through the introduction of championships—and the latter two vernacular, this is referred to as a “triple new programs and the expansion of teams were victorious! Remarkably, 130 threat” school! Our history, and our existing offerings. Upper School students and 63 Middle community’s commitment to continuous In the Lower and Middle Schools, School students are participating in fall evolution grounded in a tradition of high we are serving the unique needs of sports this year. We are proud that two standards and achievement, inspires us high ability learners, and enriching the alumnae, Sonya Narla ’07 and Leslie to keep moving forward. learning environment for all students, J. Bonci ’74, were recently honored by 2 Thistletalk Autumn 2007 Henry Posner III Winchester Thurston School BOARD OF Proudly Serving: New Board President TRUSTEES 2007-2008 Henry Posner III was elected to serve as Board President for a two-year term, beginning Henry Posner III in July 2007. The father of Hannah ’06 (now a sophomore at Kenyon College), Ida ’08, and Gus, President who spent his K-5 years at WT, Posner is married to Anne Molloy who currently serves as both Librarian and President of Rodef Shalom Congregation. They chose WT for their children, Ralph L. Bangs Posner says, “because of its urban location (we live in Oakland) and its culture of respect for Vice President each child’s individuality. Our three kids are very different from one another. And yet, for each Simin Yazdgerdi Curtis of them, WT was the best choice.” Another reason was his long-standing admiration for the Vice President WT Class of 1974, a number of whom he maintains contact with. “WT graduated some of the most accomplished, interesting people I’ve known,” says Posner Vincent O. Johnson Posner was a leader in ensuring the success of WT’s recent capital campaign, which was Vice President completed on time and on budget. In addition to business responsibilities which include Ellen Perlow Kessler serving as Chairman of Railroad Development Corporation, Iowa Interstate Railroad, and Vice President Ferrovias Guatemala, Posner put a great deal of time, energy and focus into his nine years as a WT trustee.