Greenhill School is a diverse community of Students participate in a seminar-style learners that strives for excellence; values discussion in Genie Burke’s Cold War History individuality; fosters a passion for learning; elective. Read more about it on page 32. promotes the balanced development of mind, body and character; encourages service; and instills a respect for others.

Greenhill School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions processes, financial aid programs, employment practices, athletic practices and other school administrative activities.

2 The Hill | Spring 2012 www.greenhill.org Departments 4 A Word from Scott A. Griggs Head of School 5 Greenhill Fund: Providing Limitless Opportunities 6 School News Briefs 12 Fall Sports Recap 15 2011 Founders’ Day Celebration 16 Spirit Week and Homecoming 2011 20 Halloween 22 In Gratitude for Grandparents and Special Friends 24 Esteemed Faculty Leaders 26 A New Schedule for our Middle School Community 46 Behind the Password: Get to Know the Greenhill Website Portal 48 Where do Greenhill Students Go to College? 51 A Message from Clay Deniger ’86 President, Alumni Association 52 Class Reunions 58 Alumni News 64 Alumni Class Notes 72 In Memoriam 73 Turning Points 74 Why I Give 75 2011–2012 Board of Trustees 75 Greenhill School Advancement Office

Trailblazing Spirit Feature at Greenhill

28 Trailblazing Spirit at Greenhill 38 Eagle Scout Project Brings out the Best of the Greenhill Community 39 Seventh Grader Inspires Seniors 40 Video Production Program Spurs Phenomenal Student Initiatives 42 Self-Starters – Alumni Profiles: Bob Freling ’77, Michelle Beck ’95, Sabrina Mallick Peterson ’00, John Piermarini ’10

Greenhill School 4141 Spring Valley Road Addison, 75001

www.greenhill.org The Hill | Spring 2012 3 A Word from the Head of School

Dear Greenhill Community,

Walking across campus last week and enjoying the warmer weather, I was struck by the vibrant energy on campus. At a time when spring fever typically strikes and student motivation lags, Greenhill students continue to exude enthusiasm for all of their endeavors. I attribute this dedication to the fact that Greenhill strives to instill a sense of initiative and self-advocacy in all of our students, values that originated with Bernard Fulton himself when he founded the School back in 1950.

This issue of The Hill celebrates the School’s trailblazing spirit in all of its forms. Academically, our Upper School students set their own course of study through a wide array of elective courses, creating their own tutorial, or choosing a year-long Capstone research project. The range of their studies is impressive: we have one student writing a historical novel about , a pair of students creating their first album, and yet another building computers out of recycled PC parts and donating the finished products to those in need. Our Lower and Middle School divisions lay the groundwork for this exploratory study by encouraging students to believe in their capabilities and by instilling a passion for learning they carry with them throughout their lives. Our students absorb these characteristics of initiative and self- Clubs and service initiatives provide an alternative to explore new advocacy not only because we teach them, but because our faculty subject areas and they provide an opportunity to involve peers. This embodies these characteristics as well. In fact, David Braemer, our year saw the introduction of 15 new clubs in the Upper School, ranging current Head of Upper School, is leaving at the end of the school year from Healthy Food Choices to the SOS Brigade, a club that studies to continue his own career growth as he becomes the Head of School anime, Japanese cartoons. Our focus on service provides students at the Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee. In David’s nine-year with a natural opportunity to expand beyond comfort zones or explore tenure, his spirit and drive brought enhancements to the Upper School personal passions. One of our students, after winning a personal battle curriculum and encouraged a balance of productivity and fun in the with cancer, pours his efforts into the Lance Armstrong Foundation, division. We will miss David, but we wish him the best in his new participating in races and raising funds through bake sales. endeavors. To read more about David, please see page 9.

On our athletic teams, motivation continues, largely through leadership Just as David will be departing this summer, so too will the Class of of the team captains. But what is most impressive is that our students 2012. Many of them have already selected a college or university to support not only the members of their own teams, they try to support attend and I know that they are all dreaming about the opportunities all of our teams on campus. This year more than any other, I have awaiting them beyond the Greenhill campus. I eagerly look forward to witnessed and seen strong student attendance and raucous cheering hearing about how they have taken advantage of those opportunities, at many different athletic events. or blazed their own trails, in the years to come.

I hope that you, like our students, have a strong finish to the spring and an energizing summer. As always, we thank you for all that you do for the School.

Sincerely,

Scott A. Griggs Head of School

4 The Hill | Spring 2012 www.greenhill.org Greenhill Fund: Providing Limitless Opportunities

Thank You to Our Parent Volunteers! Melanie & Louis ’93 Okon, Pre-K and Primer Sarah & Will Jaudes, Pre-K Dee Dee Hoak, Kindergarten Anne & David Mann, Kindergarten Whitney & Rob Strauss, Kindergarten Barb & Nick Bomersbach, Kindergarten Melanie & John Ofenloch, Primer Amy & John Howard, Grades 1 and 3 Lisa & Howard Marc Spector, Grade 1 Deirdre & Rolf Brekken, Grade 1 Nicole & Erin Patton, Grade 1 Mary & Kenneth Lim, Grade 1 Ashley & Rick Scheer, Grade 1 Bonnie & Monte Hurst, Grade 2 Jenny Kirtland, Grades 2 and 4 Kate & Jon Kettles, Grade 2, Lower School Team Leaders Mike Merriman, Grades 2 and 4 Elly & Edward Shelswell-White, Grades 2 and 4 Joanna & David Greenstone, Grade 2 Stacey & Doug Baer, Grade 2 Julie & David Kronick, Grade 2 The Greenhill Fund is the School’s top giving priority because it directly supports Greenhill’s Kathryn & Scott Wheeler, Grade 3 greatest assets – our students and our teachers. The partnership between Greenhill Pilar & Jay Henry, Grade 3 School and our families is one that ensures long-term growth and financial sustainability. Waverly ’86 & McCord Wilson, Grade 3 This investment in our students’ future goes beyond tuition dollars and helps to make it Randi Jacobs, Grade 3 possible for the School to provide superior faculty, state-of-the-art technology and dynamic Preethi Jayaseelan, Middle School Team Leader programming. Lynn Bozalis ’82, Grade 5 Shelley Becker, Grade 5 Each year, the collective efforts of the Greenhill Fund’s participants – parents, alumni, JoAnn Brown, Grade 5 grandparents, faculty, parents of alumni and friends – provide the crucial funds that make a Flossie Heptig, Grade 6 Greenhill education so extraordinary. Debra Morgan, Grade 6 Mary Oliver, Grade 7 We are sincerely grateful to all our donors, no matter the size of their gift, for their continued Stacy Simon ’85, Grade 7 investment in Greenhill School. The dollars raised by Greenhill Fund are essential to bridge Dani Butowsky, Grade 8 the gap between tuition income and the cost of educating each student. Thank you! Donna Cowman, Grade 8 Teresa Alexandrou, Grade 9 As of February 10, 2012, April McCormick, Grade 9 Greenhill Fund has raised Ellen Ungerman ’81, Grade 9 $1,530,394 of the $1,700,000 Dana Golman, Grade 10 goal with 70% parents, alums, Bruce Sostek, Grade 10 grandparents and friends Sandy Beckert, Grade 11, Upper School Team Leader Julie Fields ’83, Grade 11 participating. With just under Wendy Stanley, Grade 12 $170,000 to go by June 30, we Shari Nelson, Grade 12 feel confident we will have another successful year. Nancy Carlson, Chair, Greenhill Fund Ellenore Baker, Vice-Chair, Greenhill Fund For more information, contact Peter Kraus, Development Co-Chair Anne Hudson, Director of Annual Baxter Brinkmann, Development Co-Chair Giving, at hudsona@greenhill. Karla Barber, Board Chair org or 972.628.5512.

www.greenhill.org The Hill | Spring 2012 5 School News Briefs

Lower School News

Visit our website for the latest news. www.greenhill.org/news

Find us on:

www.facebook.com/GreenhillSchool

www.twitter.com/GreenhillSchool Kindergarten Teacher and Team Leader Rachel Baldwin

Kindergarten Teacher Rachel Baldwin Awarded TAEYC Teacher of the Year Congratulations to Kindergarten Teacher and Team Leader Rachel Baldwin, winner of the Texas Association for the Educators of Young Children (TAEYC) Teacher of the Year in September. Rachel was delighted to receive the award, crediting Greenhill and her colleagues, “I could not Warren Frerichs Named imagine a more perfect place to grow and develop as a teacher and as a person.” “Teacher of the Future”

Middle School News Greenhill Middle School Students Excel on AMC-8 Exam Several of our Middle School students posted outstanding results on the AMC-8 – a national math contest – and will receive national recognition for their performances on the exam.

A special congratulations to eighth-grader Hartley McGuire who posted a perfect score on the exam, which was also the first perfect score during the tenure of Dr. Grant Mindle.

Honor Roll Merit Roll Middle and Upper School Chinese Teacher Warren Frerichs Hartley McGuire, eighth grade Drew Singer, sixth grade Middle and Upper School Chinese Sahil Mittal, eighth grade Gene Park, sixth grade Teacher Warren Frerichs was selected by Kevin Wei, eighth grade Rishi Vas, sixth grade the National Association of Independent Ryan Diebner, eighth grade Sudeep Bhargava, sixth grade Schools (NAIS) as part of the 2011–2012 Anurag Kurapati, eighth grade Harris Wilson, sixth grade Teachers of the Future program. As one Harrison Heymann, eighth grade Harrison Heymann, fifth grade of only 25 teachers nationwide chosen Tanisha Gupta, seventh grade for the program, Frerichs will lead an Drew Singer, sixth grade School Portion of Contest online discussion forum designed to Gene Park, sixth grade 1st Place – Hartley McGuire share innovative ideas and teaching 2nd Place – Sahil Mittal techniques. Frerichs was featured in the 3rd Place – Kevin Wei and Ryan Diebner People Newspapers in September.

6 The Hill | Spring 2012 www.greenhill.org FBI Agent Tom Petrowski Upper School News Speaks to Greenhill’s “Understanding 9/11” Class Scott Cotton’s Understanding 9/11 class welcomed a special guest speaker in November. Tom Petrowski, Supervisory Special Agent in the Dallas branch of the FBI, oversees the FBI’s counterterrorism efforts in North Texas. Mr. Petrowski’s lecture was featured in the People Newspapers in November.

Two Student Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent Seniors Claire Brandt and Cyerra Holmes each signed a National Letter of Intent in November and will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. Claire, an All-American swimmer, signed with Texas A&M University to join their nationally-ranked program. Cyerra, an All-American lacrosse player, signed with to join its nationally-ranked team. The November signing period included the following sports: , , , lacrosse, , and diving, and . FBI Agent Tom Petrowski

Two Seniors Win DemandTec Regional Finals

Senior Named Regional Finalist in the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology Senior Alice Jiang was selected as a Regional Finalist in the 2011 Siemens Seniors Sankalp Banerjee and Avi Kejriwal won the Regional Finals division of Competition in Math, Science & Technology the DemandTec Retail Challenge, a nationwide math and science college scholarship in November. The Siemens Competition has competition for high school seniors. They each have received $2,500 for their regional become the most challenging and prestigious finish and were featured in the People Newspapers in December. After the semifinals research-based high school contest in the country. Out of the 1,917 students round, Sankalp and Avi finished ninth in the nation. who submitted projects to the Siemens Competition only five individuals and five teams in each of six regions advanced to the regional competitions.

www.greenhill.org The Hill | Spring 2012 7 School News Briefs Upper School News continued Debate News Sophomore Claims National Equestrian Championship Sophomore Mattie Willard won the national championship in the 14–16-year-old division at the 2011 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show at the Oklahoma State Fair.

Homecoming Spirit Raises Big Bucks for Breast Cancer Awareness From the mum ribbon sales, the bake sale, and the “Hornets for a Cause” bracelets sold through the Buzz and at the Homecoming events, G.I.V.E. raised $3,610 for Susan G. Komen. Thank you to all those who showed Homecoming spirit and Homecoming The Greenhill Debate Team proudly displays trophies won at fall 2011–2012 compassion. debate tournaments.

Greenhill Debate Team Excels Across the Country World Class Athlete Over the Thanksgiving break, the Greenhill Debate Team competed at the Glenbrooks Ben Cohen Visits Greenhill Invitational and the Round Robin in Chicago. At the and Donates $2,500 to Glenbrooks, the largest invitational tournament run by a high school in the United True Colors States, our students competed against 100 schools from over 25 states.

Several of our students have been invited to select Round Robin events. Seniors Lyall Stuart and Azhar Unwala were invited to the Harvard Round Robin in policy debate. Junior Rebecca Kuang was invited to the Harvard Lincoln Douglas Round Robin. Junior Meg Ranganathan and senior Sankalp Banerjee were invited to the Pace Academy Round Robin.

In January, Lyall Stuart and Azhar Unwala won the 13th annual Montgomery Bell England Rugby World Cup Debate Tournament in Nashville, one of the most elite invitationals in the U.S.A. Champion Ben Cohen

England Rugby World Cup Champion Ben Cohen visited Greenhill in September as chairman of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation. With the Student Helps Make Barbara Currier Named central mission to combat bullying Soldiers’ Dreams Come True Outstanding Tutor of the Year and homophobia, especially in sports, As part of the program Operation Once in a Greenhill Legend and Math Teacher Barbara Cohen spoke at an Upper School Lifetime, senior Ryan Brown was featured Currier was named “Outstanding Tutor of the assembly and met individually with on Channel 8 in July and again on KRLD Year” by community literacy center, Trinity student athletes about the vital Radio in September for his work to provide River Mission. She is the recipient of the role they can play in “standing up” wounded soldiers with the chance to realize 2011 Donna Graham Tutor Award given by to bullying. A few months later, he their childhood dreams. the center. donated $2,500 to the club True Colors for ongoing efforts.

8 The Hill | Spring 2012 www.greenhill.org Students Moving the Planet Farewell to an Exceptional Colleague and Friend Beyond Fossil Fuels In September, a group of Greenhill students We share the news with mixed emotions that David Braemer has accepted the led by senior Ivan Kumamoto joined appointment of Head of School at the Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee, together with the Organization of Young effective July 1, 2012. We are both very excited for David and disappointed to lose Environmental Activists (OYEA), consisting of high school students across the Dallas such an exceptional colleague and friend. area, to take part in an international effort known as Moving Planet. The OYEA rally David has had a profound impact on the Upper School during his nine-year tenure, petitioned the City of Dallas for better and the longest of any Upper School Head in Greenhill’s history. David has overseen the more extensive public transit, especially rail development of a dynamic curriculum with a traditional core program for freshmen and systems, to further push their demands for fossil fuel independence. sophomores, and multiple elective options for juniors and seniors. As David is fond of saying, this program essentially ensures that no two students go through Greenhill on Greenhill Students Excel in exactly the same curricular path. David’s wonderful personal skills have made him a favorite AP Math and Science among students and faculty alike. His focus on maintaining balance for our students has Advanced Placement results from the 2010–2011 school year indicate that Greenhill helped to create a climate in the Upper School that is both productive and fun. Upper School students have excelled in all AP subjects, with a noteworthy performance in We know David will have great success as Head of School at Ensworth. His exceptional Math and Science exams: 70% of those who skills as a school leader will be missed, but it is a testimony to the quality of Greenhill took the calculus tests received 5’s and 64% of employees that we continue to have other schools that actively recruit them as leaders. those who took the science tests received 5’s. A trend in recent years has shown an increase in Greenhill students’ performances in these Congratulations to David as he takes this next, exciting step in his professional career. subjects. Out of all AP tests taken last year, He and his family will be fondly missed. 94% received a 3 or better, 76% received 4’s and 5’s, and 50% received 5’s.

Twelve Students Named National Merit Semifinalists and Seventeen Named National Merit Commended Students Congratulations to our seniors named Semifinalists and Commended Students in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program:

Semifinalists Commended Jeremy Arata Students Sankalp Banerjee Claire Brandt Shannon Chang Nand Dalal Russell Houston Isha Elhence Natalie Koonce Shelby Friedman Daniel Matyas Austin Gerber Madeline Nelson Alison Glazer Rachel Packer David Herman Aliysa Patel Alice Jiang Nicole Roberson Avi Kejriwal Rudner Amy Li Noelle Smith Lekshmi Nair Mashal Noor Michael Partlo Susannah Rodrigue Neal Sharma Lyall Stuart Hannah Walsh David Braemer, Head of Upper School

www.greenhill.org The Hill | Spring 2012 9 School News Briefs

Art Teacher Fine Arts News Frank Lopez Wins Twelve Musicians Earn a Place in TPSMA All-State Group MasterMind Award and in the ATSSB All-Region Band Congratulations to Photography The following musicians auditioned for and earned a place in one of the Texas Private School Teacher and 2011–12 Faculty Leader Music Association (TPSMA) All-State groups: Frank Lopez for winning a 2011 Dallas

Angie Kang, sophomore – flute Charlie Wang, sophomore – cello Observer MasterMind Award. He was Jieyi Cai, junior – flute Peyton Steurer, sophomore – soprano among only three artists selected from Denny Chung, senior – clarinet Jeremy Arata, senior – tenor 45 nominations. Mr. Lopez’s work was Calvin Berg, junior – clarinet Neal Sharma, senior – tenor featured around the Metroplex in the Liz Livingston, junior – tuba Barclay Stephens, senior – bass fall, as he exhibited in the “29th Annual Kyrene Moe, freshman – violin Art in the Metroplex Competition