Winter 2011-2012 FocusTHE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOUNDATION, A.C. ANOTHER AMAZING ART FAIR Behind the Scenes at ASF’s Signature Cultural Event OPENING SOON! What You’ll Find Inside The New Fine Arts Center MORE THAN FUN AND GAMES A Q&A with Middle School Activities Coordinator Jonathan Chenier A magazine for alumni, parents, students, faculty & friends CONTENTS CAMPUS CURRENTS 22 Opening Soon... A look inside the new Fine Arts Center Winter BY KELLY ARTHUR GARRETT FAMILY FORUM 24 The Personalization of Organization 2011-2012 BY HARRY BRAKE 02 From the Executive Director FOCUS ON EDUCATION 26 Q&A Jonathan Chenier 03 From the Editorial Board A chat with the Middle School’s student activities specialist BY SLOANE STARKE 04 From the Board of Trustees The Ideas That Guide Us INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT 28 ASF’s Giving Program 05 News and Events Retreats, Trick or Treats, Green Schools, Tech Tools... 29 A Gala Inaugural and other goings-on 30 The 9th Annual ASF Golf Tournament DEPARTMENTS & DIVISIONS 10 Early Childhood Center STUDENT VOICES Brain Food 32 Street Art... Indoors BY YOLANDA GALÁN (’65) BY CAMILA MIGOYA, NAOMI KINOSHITA, VICTORIA LEUCONA AND RENATTA BROCKMAN 11 Lower School AluMNI Students Leading Students 33 Profile: Kathryn Blair (’38) BY DIEGO ZARAGOZA Forging a Legacy BY CINDY TANAKA (’91) 12 Middle School Going Mobile 34 Alumni Events BY REBECCA CRUTCHFIELD • Alumni Bowl: A Tradition Lives On • Career Day: A Learning Opportunity 13 Upper School Collaboration Cultivation 35 Class Notes BY KELLY ARTHUR GARRETT Keeping in touch with the ASF family, far and wide 14 The Arts 36 Reunions Gesture of Patience Who got together... and what they did BY LEONARDO TRÍAS 38 Milestones 15 Parent Association Births, engagements and marriages Who’s Who 38 From the Mailroom 16 Athletics & Extended Learning • A Soccer Renaissance 39 In Memoriam • Off and Running • Homecoming for the Ages KIDS’ cORNER 40 You Can Count On Me THE 42ND ANNUAL ASF ART FAIR Art and Animals from the ECC 18 Behind the Scenes BY KELLY ARTHUR GARRETT 19 Order in The Court! BY SLOANE STARKE 20 Art to Art 21 The Lure of Ceramics BY SLOANE STARKE F R O M T H E E X E C U T I V E D IRECTOR CONTRI bu TORS Harry Brake (“The Personalization of Organization,” page 24) Serving as assistant librar- ian and media specialist in the Upper School, as well as the literary magazine ad- viser, Harry joined ASF this school year after teaching AP English and Hon- ors English in his native Delaware. He has also coached cross country, taught world and Amer- ican literature and volunteered at the National Dear ASF Community, Aquarium in Baltimore. His principal interest is 21st century media, especially the interface be- Welcome to the holiday season at ASF. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas tween media technology and education. and Hanukkah, and more uniquely ASF occasions like the Golf Tourna- ment, Art Fair and the Holiday Bazaar, a sense of celebration and anticipa- Yolanda Galán (’65) tion has been in the air for weeks. (“Brain Food,” page 10) An ASF alumna, a mother of two ASF graduates and Indeed, there’s a lot to be excited about at ASF – not just this holiday sea- teacher for nine years. Now a son, but all school year and into the future. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I SEP coordinator, she focuses think we can all say we’re thankful construction on the first phase of the Fine on the whole child. Included Arts Center and the Wellness Center will soon be complete, and, in the near in this responsibility has been future, we will be using these fine new facilities. I am also thankful for the her involvement in the ECC snack program, where generosity and hard work of all the people who have made these new spaces she helps make sure children get some food for possible, and thankful for your patience throughout the process. their brains to get started every morning. You will read much about the Art Fair in this issue. If you didn’t see it for Cindy Tanaka (’91) (“Forging a Legacy,” yourself, I assure you it was a grand success as always. The Parent Associa- page 33) tion’s hard work was apparent, and we all look forward to next year, Art Fair An ASF alumna and staff number 43, when the Ángeles Espinosa Yglesias Fine Arts Center will take member for the last nine our event to another level. years, Cindy took over as alumni relations coordinator Performing arts are not to be left aside, of course. Students of all ages per- this year. Along with Alumni formed at the Art Fair, singing, dancing and playing instruments. That was Council President Leon Merikanskas (’93) and just a taste of what is to come. At February’s inauguration of the Fine Arts the rest of the council members, she has helped Center, a new ASF community orchestra will show us all what talented peo- oversee a push to increase the involvement and in- ple of all ages and stages can accomplish working together. terconnectedness of ASF’s vast, worldwide alumni network. She is also responsible for assembling all the news you see in the alumni section of Focus The Mary Street Jenkins Wellness Center will also be ready for use shortly, each issue. It was her special privilege to produce and is scheduled for an inauguration of its own in May. Our coaches, teach- the profile in this issue of Kathryn Blair, noted ers and student-athletes have been more than flexible over the past months, author and one of ASF’s most illustrious alumni. sharing limited practice and game space, and giving outstanding performanc- “It was a great experience and an honor to have es at games and competitions. We look forward to providing for them the interviewed her,” Cindy says. kind of space they deserve, and a grand event to kick it off, featuring the Harlem Ambassadors. Diego Zaragoza Tejas (“Students Leading We look forward to seeing you in the new year as ASF continues to move Students,” page 11) As a house dean in the Lower into an exciting future. School, a trainer for the Pri- mary Years Programme of Happy holidays! the International Baccalaure- ate and a contributor to IB Paul Williams World Magazine, Diego was perfectly positioned to EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR write the article in this issue stressing the impor- tance of leadership traits among even the young- est ASF students, and about how the Lower School goes about developing leadership in its students. “I believe in empowering students and helping them believe in themselves whether it be to change or contribute responsibly to our community,” he says. “Students make a difference and they help Lower School be a vibrant element of ASF.” 2 F R O M T H E E D ITORIA L B OAR D Focus A magazine for ASF Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty and Friends Winter, 2011-2012 Vol. X | No. 3 | Mexico City Paul Williams Executive Director Susan Olivo Head of Early Childhood Center Evan Hunt Head of Lower School Rebecca Crutchfield Head of Middle School Amy Gallie Head of Upper School rt, art and more art! The theme of this issue of Focus is more Robert Wilson Athan apparent, with a look at the cover and a flip through the pages. Head of Athletics & Extended Learning The Art Fair, now in its 42nd edition, is a beloved annual event at ASF BOARD OF TRUSTEES that draws thousands of people to campus. This year did not disap- Rosa (Marentes) Pisinger (’87), Chair st point… but in some ways, the Art Fair is more than one day out of 365 Cathy Austin (’78), 1 Vice Chair Carlos Williamson, 2nd Vice Chair on our beautiful campus. The Art Fair represents the best of ASF. It Carla Ormsbee, Secretary shows what the school values the most –community, diversity and excel- Joan Liechty, Treasurer lence in education, including art education. César Buenrostro (’85) Murray H. Case On the pages that follow, you will read about many different aspects of Sara Craig the Art Fair, including the special exhibition (page 18), the Art-to-Art Francisco Demesa auction of student pieces (page 20), the role of student clubs at the event Sebastián Fernández (page 19) and more. On page 22, you can also read about the Ángeles Fernando Franco Espinosa Yglesias Fine Arts Center, soon to be inaugurated on campus, Frances Huttanus which is certain to make a big splash in all our future artistic endeavors. Jeffrey Scott McElfresh Antonio Rallo And, on page 29, meet the man who will play a major role in the Fine Tito Óscar Vidaurri Arts Center’s inauguration celebration in February 2012. Martin Werner On a related note, Art Fair regular and ASF veteran Adele Goldschmied EDITORIAL BOARD appears on page 21. Read about her place of honor in a recent ceramics Adele Goldschmied, Cindy Tanaka (’91), show, and the big role she played in advancing arts education at ASF. Clementina Aguilar, Michele Beltrán, Paul Williams, José Segebre, Then, on page 32, see how street art has invaded the halls of the Middle Juan de Jesús Breene School, and on page 40, some of our ECC artists share their impressions of endangered animals. EDITORIAL STAFF Violeta Ayala, Director of Communications Sloane Starke, Editor-in-Chief & Aside from art, we also have a very useful piece on organization, what it is Chair of the Editorial Board and how to help your kids get it, on page 24. Finally, don’t miss a profile of Kelly Arthur Garrett, Editorial Consultant one of our most distinguished alumnae, Katherine Blair, on page 33.