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The Magazine of Wilbraham & Monson Academy The Global School ® fall 2017 ACADEMYWORLD Where We Are also in this issue: Student Engagement News from the Hill Reunion 2017 perspectIves by brian p. easler Head of School Where We Are: ‘When You See The Plan ... You Will Feel It, Also’ It Is a very excItIng tIme at intentions within the context of a 30-year vision Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and for the WMA campus. That is a long time to a tremendous privilege to be part of it. consider, but with a healthy dose of flexibility For the first time, WMA alumni, built into the plan, it will serve admirably as our families, staff and friends contributed lodestar long into the future. more than $1 million to the Annual The master planning process spanned three Fund, now called the Atlas Fund. This full weeks of this past school year and included all is a landmark accomplishment, and of the faculty and staff, a broad cross section of a sign of confidence as we continue our the student body, and as many parents and alumni efforts to further evolve the school. as we could involve. As a result, the plan is well Included in those efforts is our mission informed by both those who live the WMA life to balance the operating budget every day and the creativity and experience of our without the need for annual donations; master planning architects, Flansburgh Architects. as you already know, we are flipping Because the plan was created with such a breadth the Annual Fund upside down — from of involvement (some of the most innovative ideas a literal budget standpoint — so that came from students), there is a pervasive sense annual donors to the Atlas Fund of enthusiasm and optimism on campus. When continually move the school forward you see the plan, which you will soon, you will rather than simply sustaining it. feel it, also. This year, three years after beginning Beginning my fourth year as Head and 20th at this shift, we are spending 82 percent WMA, let me thank you all once again for the of the annual donations to support honor and privilege of serving all of you and the capital projects and non-operating WMA community. program improvements that move us forward. Some of this generosity supports much-needed new capital projects and deferred maintenance projects that have an immediate effect on the quality of the student experience and the effectiveness of our admission efforts. With the renovation of the Rich Hall roof, portico and exterior, the construction of the new Academic Services Center, and the installation of air conditioning in our dormitory lobbies and public areas, to name a few of the big projects, we are using your support to change WMA in meaningful ways. We have a long way to go before we accomplish our goal of transforming annual giving and our campus, but you can feel and see the difference already. This year, a portion of Atlas Fund giving also funded the creation of the WMA Facilities Master Plan. You will hear much more about this in the very near future, as the Master Plan will guide our facilities improvement efforts in Read the Head of support of our program for the next 10 or so School’s page at years. Our plan, however, will also inform our www.wma.us/hos contents e dItor photography Teddy Ryan Kayla Aimone Paul Bloomfield a ssocIate edItors Russ Held Russ Held Noah Kantor ’19 Bill Wells Teddy Ryan a dvIsory Board Wendy Staples 24 Mark Aimone Bill Wells Brian Easler Various contributing photographers Dawn Hines desIgn Don Kelly Stoltze Design Elizabeth Mitchell-Kelly ’04 Janet Moran prIntIng Starburst Printing & Graphics, Inc. c tontrIBu Ing WrIters Mark Aimone Board of trustees Erika Convery ’19 Scott B. Jacobs ’75, Chair Christina Cronin James E. LaCrosse ’50W, Vice Chair Brian Easler Mark R. Shenkman ’61M, Vice Chair Andrew Faulstich ’15 David A. Reeves, Treasurer Tina Girhiny Krista Hanson, Secretary Haley Godin ’18 Caitlin S. Flynn ’06 34 48 Russ Held K. Ivan F. Gothner Dawn Hines Linda B. Griffin Don Kelly Judith A. Knapp Abigail Lacey ’19 Barry M. Maloney ’85 f eature story Wa m spotlIght Elizabeth Mitchell-Kelly ’04 Timothy J. Marini Janet Moran Andrew P. Mele 24 Brian Easler: Leadership, 31 The Student Experience Teddy Ryan Craig A. Rubin ’63W Gokul Sivakumar ’19 Bonnie Faulkner Ryan ’82 Caring & Humor 32 New Trustee Andrew P. Mele Emma Stoll ’18 trustees emerItI 33 Don Kelly Bench dedication Wally Swanson Eric W. Anderson 48 Heanny Mompho Bill Wells s upportIng Wma Richard S. Fuld ’64W William E. James ’64W 2 Scott Jacobs ’75 d epartments Alumni, we’d like to hear from you! Send your current contact information and news to [email protected]. alumnI In actIon 4 News from the Hill 10 Titans Victorious “Academy World” is published in the spring and fall for alumni, parents and friends of the Academy. Please direct comments and letters to: 28 Hyun Chong Kim ’77 20 Reunion 2017 W IlBraham & monson academy 30 Steph Reeves ’12 55 Class Notes marketIng & communIcatIons offIce 63 Annual Report 423 maIn street travelIng Titans WIlBraham, MA 01095-1715 [email protected] In memorIam 34 Cuba: Baseball and Laughter our MissIon 38 England: Plymouth Exchange 51 Harold “Bud” Porter ’44W Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a transformational experience where 40 Central Europe: Different 52 Richard “R.B.” Phillips ’63W students become challenge-seeking citizens and leaders of an evolving world. Perspectives 53 Helmut Waszkis ’51W Wilbraham & Monson Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, 42 Iceland: Meeting Warm People 53 We Remember genetic information, military status, gender identity and any other 44 China: Lessons for the Teacher 54 Gary Beauchamp ’78 categories protected by federal, state or local law. get social with us! on the cover wilbrahammonsonacademy Head of School Brian Easler has shown strong leadership of and genuine caring for WMA wilbrahammonson students. Among many of Easler’s engagements with students has been participating wilbrahammonsonacad in the Bunion Derby, as he did in full dress code in 2016. Lizzy Mitchell-Kelly ’04 details @theglobalschool Easler’s special bond and interaction with students. Story on page 24. Photo by qqid: 2306006424 Wendy Staples. WILBRAHAM & MONSON ACADEMY 1 supportIng WMA by Teddy ryan Director of Marketing & Communications Scott Jacobs ’75 on Connecting Board of Trustees, Heads of School and the Road Ahead Times of transition at WMA Former Head of School Dick Malley initially invited Mr. Jacobs to join the Board. When Mr. Jacobs also heard from Jonathan Sperling ’57W about how the Academy was progressing, he looked forward to getting involved. It also didn’t hurt that his mother was still in town, a personal aspect that helped make his decision easier. “At the time, I didn’t realize how much we could get done, the challenges, thinking and hard work,” Mr. Jacobs said. He officially joined the Board in 2002 — the same year Rodney LaBrecque began his tenure as Head of School — and became the Chair in 2004. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Jacobs has seen an evolution within the styles of leadership and changes to the program, campus and student body. Through the work of Mr. Malley, Mr. LaBrecque and current Head of School Brian Easler, the high standards, for which WMA has always been known, have continued to rise. This in turn has impacted, and will continue When scott JacoBs ’75 reflects on his three siblings attending after. Upon ▲ Chair of the Board to impact, admission: “more stable time as a student at Wilbraham & Monson graduation, he matriculated to Cornell of Trustees Scott Jacobs, admissions, quality applicants, stability Academy, he credits the likes of faculty and studied engineering. He began left, with former of the demand and excitement for Head of School Rodney legends Roger Lincoln, Hugh Harrell his career at DuPont Engineering, and the future.” LaBrecque (2002–2014). and others for how much the Academy after his career took him to Tulane When Mr. LaBrecque began to prepared him for his future. Mr. Jacobs University in New Orleans for an MBA, think about retirement, Mr. Jacobs recalls the mid-1970s as a tumultuous he charted a new path. made sure he and the Board worked time for the world and acknowledges Mr. Jacobs transitioned to the real closely, supporting Mr. LaBrecque and how hard the faculty and administration estate business and then later, his wife the transition to Mr. Easler as Head of worked for its students. A day student, Leslie’s family business, in insurance. School. Between the selection process he drove to school — a highlight for any “In times of crisis and stress, national and the transition, there are many teenager yearning for more freedom and recessions, you learn a lot about covering moving pieces when it comes to a independence as they enter adulthood. your bases, thinking forward, being smooth transition. “It was so important “It’s where you grow up, for me, it strategic, working really hard and being for the community that there be no was a lot of growth here. I was a younger able to look back and realize how far glitches, there be continuity. I hope it student when I went to college, but I was you’ve come,” he shared. felt, for people, quite seamless,” Mr. academically prepared,” Mr. Jacobs said. All of these skills have prepared him Jacobs recalled. “That was our goal, He spent two years at the Academy, for his role as Chair of the WMA Board I think we were reasonably successful following his older brother Eric, with of Trustees.