Winter 2010 Achievement AchievementAsheville School Alumni Magazine Asheville School Alumni Magazine DesigningDesigning NewNew ScienceScience LabsLabs NewNew FacilitiesFacilities WouldWould MatchMatch thethe TalentsTalents ofof ScienceScience TeachersTeachers Table Fromthe of January 2010 Achievement Contents Winter 2010 Features Head 02 Funding The Science Labs of Tomorrow Published for Alumni & BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dear Members of Asheville School’s community: 06 Thomas Hunter ’06: A Soccer Hero At Wofford Friends of Asheville School 2009-2010 hile I am mindful of the economic difficulties and international challenges our country by the Advancement Department 10 The School’s International Community Ms. E. Parce Ainsworth 1983 faces, I am pleased to report that Asheville School is fortunate to be enjoying an excellent Asheville School Mr. Michael J. Arakas 1980 year. Unemployment is high and our recovery is slow so any gloating or celebration is 360 Asheville School Road 18 Cardiologist Teaches Illness & Literature Mr. Harris M. Baker 1974 inappropriate, but I am delighted to report that after a record breaking admission year last Asheville, North Carolina 28806 W Ms. Terry Banta year, we have enjoyed the fullest admission’s campus visit fall schedule in memory. I hope and believe that Asheville 828.254.6345 Mr. Carl Boland 1999 School is not only weathering the economic downturn well, but is in fact flourishing. www.ashevilleschool.org Departments Ms. Ann Craver (Ex Officio-Parents’ Ass’n) Our boys’ soccer and football teams are examples of the spirit that has infused our fall. Both had winning records; 01 From the Head of School Mr. Rhodes Craver both won because of determination and perseverance. Our scholar/athletes made us proud. Other examples of our Editor fall’s spirit and success were our play The Crucible, a wonderful Service of Lessons and Carols, and an excellent Bob Williams (Ex Officio-Parents’ Ass’n) Class Notes Mr. Tadley DeBerry 1981 Christmas dinner dance. All these traditions continue to flourish. 32 1950-1960 Director of Advancement (Ex Officio-Alumni Ass’n) Something new for us this year was particularly enjoyable for me. I visited with Cathy McClain, our Director of Catherine McClain 33 1961-1970 Ms. Ayla Ficken Advancement, three cities in Korea – Seoul, Pusan, and Daegu. Not only were we treated with genuine hospitality, our 34 1971-1975 Mr. James A. Fisher 1964 trip culminated in a 95 person reception and dinner. Trustee Mark Hwang 1997, organized the trip, and we have Writers Dr. Peter Fortune 1962 Bob Williams 35 1976-1987 never had a warmer, more actively engaged group from another country. Our Korean alumni, current parents, and Mr. William G. Francis 1964 current students all embrace Asheville School with enthusiasm. Travis Price 36 1987-1990 Dr. Ernest W. Franklin III 1954 Logan DeLoach 37 1991-1997 Mr. Robert T. Gamble 1971 Our Korean families have also taken a leadership role in helping us in our efforts to renovate entirely our Science Mr. Peter L. Hellebush 1964 38 1998-2000 facilities. This exciting project is receiving support from alumni, parents, and friends, and we are grateful. Proof Readers Ms. Joanne Hoffman Tish Anderson 39 2000-2004 Ms. Elizabeth G. Hotchkiss 2000 Please find out more about what is current at Asheville School by going to our website (www.ashevilleschool.org). Travis Price 40 2004-2006 Mr. Injae “Mark” Hwang 1997 Our new “virtual tour” of campus is particularly compelling. Printing 41 2006-2009 Mr. Richard J. Kelly 1968 Lane Press Ms. Marilyn Higi Kincaid 1991 Mr. Walter M. Mischer, Jr. Sincerely, Photographers In Memoriam Ms. Janet S. Moore Blake Madden 44 In Memoriam: Herman Cone, Jr. 1942 Mr. Alexander G. Paderewski 1968 Bob Williams 45 In Memoriam: Shaw Walker 1932 Mr. Marcellus C. Parker 2000 Logan DeLoach Mr. Laurance D. Pless 1971, 45 In Memoriam: Charles Zukoski 1944 Vice Chairman A special thanks to the 1923 46 In Memoriam: H.C. Robbins Landon 1943 Mr. Oliver G. Prince, Jr. 1971, Chairman Memorial Archives for providing Archibald R. Montgomery IV 46 In Memoriam: Reg Garner 1970 Mr. James A. Rice II 1972 many of the archival photographs in Mr. Arthur H. Rogers III 1988 Head of School 47 In Memoriam this edition. Mr. Walter A. Ruch Profiles Mr. Richard G. Smith III 1969 Mr. Michael H. Stoll 1968 12 Alumnae Profile: Jennifer Pharr-Davis 2001 Mr. Paul E. Szurek 15 Student Profile: David Schaffer 2010 Mr. Van C. Thompson 1973 16 Faculty Profile: Casey Arbor Mrs. Clara C. Wellons Asheville School Mission: To prepare Campus News our students for college and for life and to provide an atmosphere in 20 New Trustee Members Join Board which all members of a diverse, 21 Christ School Game Alumni Reception engaged, and purposefully small 22 Faculty Departures/New Faculty school community appreciate and strive for excellence – an atmosphere 23 Faculty Appreciation Day that nurtures character and fosters 24 Christ School Game Memory the development of mind, body, 26 Alumni Weekend 2009 and spirit. 27 Alumni Basketball Game Asheville School does not 27 Football and Soccer Seasons Successful discriminate on the basis of race, David Brooks To Speak/Frank Deford Visit creed, sex, or ethnic background in its 28 admission policies, scholarship and 29 Planned Giving loan programs, educational policies, 30 Cody Fund Update/New Virtual Tour and athletic and other school administered programs. 31 Campus Improvements 42 Graduation 2009 Achievement Winter 2010 1 Investing in a Serious Upgrade for Science $3.89 Million Upgrade To Science Labs Would Greatly Enhance The Student Experience n the last decade, Karen Cianciulli has facilities that match the quality of our teachers prepared enough physics students for and right now our teachers outclass our Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, University facilities by leaps and bounds.” I of Pennsylvania and Stanford to know that Asheville School students are Cianciulli agrees the science teachers and her learning the core fundamentals of science and students deserve state-of-the art labs, succeeding in even the most rigorous academic individual classrooms with more space, environment. improved storage, and adequate flooring. What she doesn’t understand, however, is why “As it is right now, the lab tables are fixed and the science facilities haven’t had a major are too close together and it’s crowded for our upgrade in more than 50 years. kids,” Cianciulli describes the current state of the science classrooms, located in the basement “We have these great teachers in a very stable of Mitchell Hall. “There’s lots of wasted space.” department doing exciting things by getting kids into science,” Cianciulli says. “Shouldn’t With fundraising efforts well underway, the facilities match what our expectations of Montgomery says he’s optimistic construction kids and our expectations of faculty members could begin on the new labs as soon as the are?” summer of 2011, once the school is able to raise at least 75% in cash of the $3.89 million It’s not that anyone is complaining, says project. Cianciulli, an MIT graduate and science department chair in her 15th year of teaching And the effect of new science facilities would physics at Asheville School. It’s actually not in be tremendous, explains Montgomery. her department’s nature to complain about what’s out of their control. “It would have an impact across a broad range of areas. First of all, in our admissions, we have “It’s a funny thing, because my people aren’t a real interest in the sciences with the folks complaining,” says Cianciulli. “But that’s just coming through, and to have a facility that because they are good-natured.” matches the quality of our teachers would help us right off the bat when attracting kids who As amiable as the science department may be, are also looking at other schools with very fine these teachers deserve a space for science facilities,” Montgomery says. “Second, experimentation that complements their there’s no question that it enhances the teaching ability, says Head of School Arch experience of both the faculty members and “We need science facilities that match the quality Montgomery. the students to be in nice facilities.” of our teachers and right now our teachers “We have classrooms that are essentially the Cianciulli recalls touring some of the New same classrooms that were used in the 1950s England boarding schools’ newer science and it’s time for an update,” Montgomery says. facilities several years ago when there were outclass our facilities by leaps and bounds.” “It is a little bit, to use a sports analogy, like plans to build an Art and Science building on having a world class baseball team playing on a Asheville School’s campus. But the lack of muddy diamond.” funding left science with the same out-of-date labs they have today. The science teachers and science students deserve better facilities, says Andy Hirt, “Some of the things that were most impressive Director of Admission. may sound superficial, but they actually make a huge difference. At a number of schools there “We’ve got functional facilities and we’ve got were some decorative details that were about amazing teachers,” Hirt says. “We need science science and I think they are the sort of things 2 Achievement Winter 2010 Achievement Winter 2010 3 that do plant seeds of thought,” she recalls. “One school had a neon sign with the different gases so it said the chemical symbols for Ae and Ar and when it lit up, they were different colors. Another school had maps of the solar system in the floor.” While Cianciulli admits these upgrades to the science facilities wouldn’t change the way science is fundamentally taught at Asheville School, they would offer more flexibility to teachers in the labs and in their classrooms.