2018 EDITION A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Dents du Midi Ranger Camps Iconic mountain beloved by all who Precursor to LAS and have spent time in Leysin. LAS summer founded in 1949 by Sigrid Ott. Edelweiss Swiss Flags National flower One for each of of Switzerland. our founders. Découpage Decoded Bison A symbol of North Dakota, Sigrid’s home state. The Icelandic Order Swiss Chalet of the Falcon Medal Representing Sigrid’s The highest honor that the years in Leysin. Icelandic state can bestow on an individual. Received by Sigrid in 1987. Royal Danish Medal of Honor Received by Sigrid in 1969 for her work promoting Danish Guide with Children tourism. Denmark was the original Representation of the home of the Ranger Camps. Ranger Camps and the LAS Alpine Club. Be comfortable. Be yourself. Be at home Frontier Cottage wherever you are in the world. That’s Representing Sigrid’s what our Swiss hospitality stands for. childhood in North Dakota. AMERICAS | ASIA PACIFIC | EUROPE | MIDDLE EAST WWW.SWISSOTEL.COM/DISCOVER panorama | 3 Panorama Magazine Full Page A4.indd 1 08.12.16 10:35 16 panorama Editors Benjamin Smith, Anthony Leutenegger, Emily Gain, Emma Dixon Graphic Design Michelle Starke Contributors Mike Brinkmeyer, Paul Fomalont, Mark Fryer, Carl Gehriger, Mark Gordon, John Harlin III ’14P, LAS Arts Team (Jen Beighton, Hamin Lee, Brian Rusher, Bryan Albertson, Elizabeth Bowie, Katherine Enoch, Thomas 20 Padick), Brad Jackson ‘19P, ‘22P, Sabina Schwedtmann- Lynch, Dr. Paul Magnuson ‘21P, Dr. Marc-Frédéric Ott, Dr. K. Steven Ott, LAS Development Team 40 (Benjamin Smith, Anthony Leutenegger) Contributing Photographers Anthony Leutenegger, Russ Ellis, Theo M. ‘19, Emily Gain, Michelle Starke Panorama is a published annually for alumni, parents, and friends of Leysin American School in Switzerland. (C) 2018, Leysin American School. Readers may send address changes, letters, news items, and e-mail address changes to Leysin American School or e-mail [email protected]. Letters and news, which are welcome, may be edited for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect those of LAS or Panorama. 45 Submit Letters And Questions To: 32 Development Office Leysin American School Chemin de la Source 3 Table of Contents 1854 Leysin, Switzerland Phone: +41.24.493.4888 | Web: www.las.ch | Email: [email protected] 03 Découpage 16 Frillstyle 36 Gazing Upwards 45 Creative Arts Explanation Anthony Leutenegger Carl Gehriger The LAS Arts Team 2018 Edition 06 Transitions 20 Global Futurizer 38 LAS Golden 48 ‘‘Be Brave. Be Fierce.’’ Dr. Marc-Frédéric Ott Dr. Paul Magnuson ‘21P Anniversaries Anthony Leutenegger On the Cover: The Life of Sigrid Ott Découpage Benjamin Smith illustrated and designed by Breanne McCallum. 08 A Family Album: 9 24 Made in Mongolia: Land 54 An Ibex Earns its Stripes Years of Faculty Family of the Blue Sky 40 The Saudi Experience Mike Brinkmeyer Weekends Benjamin Smith Mark Fryer Paul Fomalont 56 Small Country, ION 30 The Skyline Challenge 42 Compassion: LAS Big Summer DIT 12 Global Politics John Harlin III ‘14P Students Respond Mark Gordon 2018 E Sabina Schwedtmann-Lynch to Tragic Mexican 32 Living the Science Life Earthquake 58 My Epiloge to the Book 14 In Your Corner: College Benjamin Smith Benjamin Smith Saga: How One Family Counseling at LAS Made a World of Difference E FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Brad Jackson ‘19P, ‘22P Assessing Assesment Honor Roll of Donors Through Education IN 34 44 A MAGAZ Dr. Paul Magnuson ‘21P Dr. K. Steven Ott 4 | panorama Viktor Göhlin Transitions Founder, Nokadi By: Dr. Marc-Frédéric Ott Alumnus 2006 Head of School Dear Alumni, Parents, & Friends, The LAS Board and Foundation, with your generosity Emilija Petrova and guidance, continues to support the long-term Managing Director, The past and coming year are marked by transitions at development of the school. Several capital improvement Bart van Straten Trade Resource GmbH General Manager, Alumna 2002 LAS: the passing of Sigrid B. Ott, co-founder of LAS, projects are underway across campus. Two highlights Van Straten Medical the continued transition at board level from the second are the renovation and modernization of the Esplanade Alumnus 1996 to the third generation of the founding family, and the dorm and the Savoy library. The Esplanade will YOU! ongoing development of the school. become the home of our youngest female students. The Savoy library has been modernized to better serve At the time of her passing, my grandmother Sigrid was our Middle School (grades 7 & 8) and Preparatory very proud of what LAS had become in the decades Years (grades 9 & 10) students with an age-appropriate since she and my grandfather Fred founded the school. collection and the latest technology. In addition It was one of many adventures in her life that to capital developments, we continue to also included: growing up on a pioneer support the professional growth of At EU Business School, BARCELONA farm in North Dakota, traveling with our faculty. Thanks to the creation GENEVA her two young children to Europe of the LAS Educational Research MONTREUX just after WWII to reunite the (LASER) center, a growing you don’t just learn from MUNICH family with my grandfather, number of faculty members ONLINE founding the International Ranger are conducting research and Camps (precursor to LAS), and curriculum work to develop entrepreneurs, you become one! finally enjoying a well-deserved their teaching skills and to retirement while still providing help them become more much care, guidance, and love to effective in working with our her family and LAS. students. At LAS, we recognize LeisynAmericanSchool_A4-1/2.indd 1 20/12/2016 12:40 that education is foremost In addition to her adventurous spirit, about people and investing in the many of us knew Sigrid for her compassion ongoing professional growth of our and intellect. She may be best remembered, faculty and staff is a top priority. however, for her unique gift of making anyone she spoke to feel special and, despite all of the challenges life As you have read, you can be proud of LAS—your presents, always making the best of difficult situations school. As you continue to share your LAS story with a smile. Sigrid B. Ott passed away on April 23, 2017 with friends, relatives, and future potential LAS in her Leysin home surrounded by family. Sigrid will be students, please communicate your ideas and remembered fondly by the thousands of young people thoughts on the future with us. When the time is who passed through the doors of the International right for you, please also support our fundraising Ranger Camps and Leysin American School. efforts, which help us to provide the best educational experience to the leaders of tomorrow My father, Steven, will retire later this year after serving who will contribute to the betterment of the world. as Chairman of the LAS Board since 1982. My sister, Stefanie, who lives and works in Zurich, has been Thank you for your trust in and support of LAS. I elected as the next Chairman. Stefanie knows the school hope to welcome you back to your school soon. I very well: not only did she grow up around LAS, but her wish you all the best for 2018! oldest daughter graduates this June. My mother, Doris, will remain President of the Foundation for a few more years. As we continue the generational transition at the governance level, the school will continue to be led by members of the founding family and operate as a not- LEYSIN COL DES MOSSES for-profit. This transition is important and takes into Dr. Marc-Frédéric Ott consideration the long-term best interest of the school and our students. 6 | panorama panorama | 7 A Family Album: 9 Years of Faculty Family Weekends By: Paul Fomalont Dean of Students ccasionally you’ll be walking through the advisory group system. We met every two weeks I arrived at LAS and was placed into a family with a the stomach aches. 0 - 2, I vowed to carry on. Next halls of the Savoy building and hear a yell and could usually be seen sprinting to the school fellow first year teacher and a group of completely year I promised myself we would have an active directed at you: “Mom!” or “Dad!” The vans. We would drive down to the local bakery and new students. The blind leading the blind. We decided family weekend. unsettling feeling that you are certain you order various pastries for a mid-morning snack. to ask the students what they wanted to do. They had O have no children sinks in, yet this call is Each pastry came with a garnish of onion on the heard legendary stories of Geneva, the number one Years 3 and 4 were my most memorable for all being directed at you. You turn and in an instant the side and, after eating our desserts and chatting destination for travel weekends, and it won nearly the right reasons—we were active, had fun, and feeling washes away as you realize the child calling about life, we would collect all the onion pieces unanimously. So on Friday we got on a school bus had several new experiences. 2 - 2? At least in my you by this name is in fact a student. At LAS there has onto a single plate. We would then have a rock- and rode for two hours to Geneva. It turns out that opinion! Canyoning is this crazy Swiss sport where a been a long-standing history of what we call “Faculty paper-scissors tournament, the loser of which unless you are a high school student on a travel you throw on a wetsuit and jump, swim, rappel, and Family.” In fact, it has been a part of LAS since 1974.