Faculty Spotlight Campus News Hall of Fame Homecoming 2012 Honor Roll of Giving The Alma Matters is published up to 2 two times per year for alumni, parents and friends. 1 Volume 22 The Norwich Free Academy 0 305 Broadway • Norwich, CT 06360 Number 2 2 Tel: (860) 887-2505 • Fax: (860) 889-4363 Editor: Linda Clang Ververis ’78 r Copy Editor: Kathleen McCarthy e t Contributing Writers: Kathleen McCarthy, Geoffrey Serra n i Photographers: NFA Staff, Seniorwish.Org, Brian Ambrose Photography, Contributed Design: Lavender Design W Printer: AM Lithography Corporation The Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees David Whitehead ’78, Chairman Theodore Phillips ’74, Vice Chairman Thomas Griffin ’70, Secretary Lee-Ann Gomes ’82, Treasurer Diana L. Boisclair ’77 Jeremy D. Booty ’74 Glenn T. Carberry ’72 Richard E. DesRoches Keith G. Fontaine ’78 Thomas W. Hammond ’75 DeVol S. Joyner Sarette B. Williams ’78 Alumni Association Board of Directors Gale Eccleston Ennis ’78, President Thomas Neilan ’85 , Vice President Stacy Koehler ’97, Secretary/Treasurer Anna Stankewich Alfiero ’58 Peter Ballaro ’66 Marie Landry Bontempo ’55 Ann Dugas Carignan ’55 Olive Buddington ’43 Leslie Lane Christie ’82 Timothy Cummings ’66 Nancy Delorge Farnsworth ’69 Concetta Colonna Franchetti ’78 Ethel Moshier Handley ’60 Eileen Kavanaugh Kalla ’81 John Mathieu ’70 Mary Barnett Messerschmidt ’63 Eugene Sullivan ’43 Cynthia LaBrie White ’82 The Norwich Free Academy does not discriminate in its educational programs, services or employment on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, color, handicapping condition, age, marital status or sexual orientation. This is in accordance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and other civil rights or discrimination issues; Sector 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act o f 1991. THE SLATER MEMORIAL MUSEUM Table of Contents WINTER/SPRING 2012/13 Page 4 A Message from David Klein, Head of School Page 5 A Message from the Alumni Association Pages 6-7 Homecoming Pages 8-10 Hall of Fame Pages 11-15 Alumni News Pages 16-17 Alumni Spotlight Alumni News continued 69TH ANNUAL CONNECTICUT ARTISTS JURIED EXHIBITION Pages 18-21 Campus News February 10 through March 22 Page 22 Faculty Spotlight – Cheray Fitzgerald Page 23 Student Spotlight – Elisa Formiglio 119TH NORWICH ART SCHOOL ANNUAL SATURDAY MORNING Pages 24-25 Faculty & Staff News ART CLASSES EXHIBITION April 7 through May 1 Pages 26-29 Class Notes Page 29 In Memorium 123RD ANNUAL NORWICH Page 30 135th Annual Meeting and ART SCHOOL EXHIBITION Reunion Committee Brunch May 10 through June 2 Page 31 Deceased STONINGTON PRINTMAKERS SOCIETY Pages 32-39 Honor Roll of Giving June 19 through August 18 Back Cover Wildcat Connection MUSEUM HOURS Tuesday – Friday: 9 am – 4 pm Saturday & Sunday: 1 pm – 4 pm Closed Monday & Holidays ADMISSION Adults: $3.00 Seniors & Students: $2.00 Friends of Slater Museum and Children under 12 are free Visit our website at www.nfaschool.org GENERAL MUSEUM INFORMATION (860) 887-2506 A message from the Head o f School Dear Friends: Seasons Greetings from The Academy. I hope all is well with you and yours, and may you enjoy a holiday season complete with good health, happiness and personal fulfillment. Things on campus are bustling, and our students continue to excel making us proud each and every day – they carry on your legacy of NFA excellence with class and enthusiasm. We are in the midst of our annual enrollment and recruitment process whereby students and their families from our partner districts and throughout the region make their choice about where to attend high school. From my clearly biased point of view, the optimal choice for any family would be Norwich Free Academy because of our robust and comprehensive academic and extracurricular program. I believe that NFA offers something special for everyone, and we continue to excel at providing opportunities and preparing lives. As you well know, NFA is truly a magical place. The annual NFA Corporator’s meeting took place Thursday, November 8th, and I can’t say enough about the good will and generosity of spirit that resides within that dedicated group of leaders– thank you. Board of Trustees Chairman, David Whitehead, highlighted the important topics of stewardship and ambassadorship, and we presented the four areas of strategic focus for 2012-2014: Academic Success, Institutional Stewardship, Team Synergy, and Community Engagement. Thoughtful and committed focus in these critical areas will ensure that we remain true to NFA’s mission and its strong core values as an educational institution. Our NFA Strategic Communications Team also shared the Academy’s new marketing program and the associated printed materials, which now properly represent the tradition of excellence and rich history that have always defined Norwich Free Academy. Academy representatives have not formally done alumni outreach in a number of years, and it is time to reaffirm our family commitment by bringing NFA directly to you. In the coming months, we will re-invigorate NFA’s alumni outreach program by visiting New York City, Boston, and Washington D.C. During those alumni gatherings, we will brief you on our planned initiatives and special projects, and, most importantly, enjoy your company and celebrate NFA’s continued success . To our Florida friends, a visit to the Sunshine State is a top priority during the 2013-2014 academic year – I thank you for your patience and understanding. Best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a peaceful new year. Respectfully, David J. Klein Head of School 4 A message from the Alumni Association While visiting the NFA website recently, the number 38,500 stood out to me on the Admissions page. This amount represents the number of students that NFA has been educating for well over a century. As president of the NFA Alumni Association, I have had the pleasure of meeting several hundred of you this year at many of our events. Who can beat the spirit and camaraderie shown by many of our returning alumni on Homecoming weekend? If you ask me, no one can! On October 20th, the Alumni Association was pleased to welcome back to campus over 20 classes for tailgating festivities which included a baking contest and a tailgate decorate “your favorite sport” theme. The Class of 1950 took home yet another winning banner as they went all out with a display about their favorite team, the CT Sun. The team’s mascot, Blaze, even made a surprise visit! I encourage all of you to reach out to your classmates and get a group of your own together for next year’s homecoming. You won’t want to miss it! I think that I shall never see Several classes held reunions this year and the committees were able to share the highlights of their events at the recent Alumni Association Annual Meeting held on A poem lovely as a tree. November 7. Alumni members Tim Cummings ’66 and Nancy Delorge Farnsworth ’69 were reelected to 3-year terms and we welcomed to the board Eugene Sullivan A tree whose hungry mouth is prest ’43, Ann Dugas Carignan ’55, Peter Ballaro ’66 and Cynthia Labrie White ’82. Against the sweet earth's Those in attendance also had the honor of listening to the president of the Class of 2013, Justin Morin. Justin is the finest example of a student attending NFA. His flowing breast; presence that morning assured us that NFA is providing opportunities and preparing young lives for the world outside of the academy. One of my favorite occasions happens the day after Thanksgiving when the A tree that looks at God all day, Association welcomes back the most recent graduating class for their yearbook And lifts her leafy arms to pray; distribution. As we enjoyed a delicious brunch prepared by the cafeteria staff, we watched the Class of 2012 share hugs, cry with excitement over a missed classmate, and reminisce about memories which seem like a life time ago. A tree that may in summer wear This year, class years ending with a 3 or 8 will hold reunions. Save the date cards will A nest of robins in her hair; be going out shortly announcing the day and venue of those celebrations. If your class is holding a reunion, and you haven’t had the opportunity to attend one before, please consider it this time. I have certainly gained a greater appreciation for those I went to school with 35 years ago all because of the time I have spent around classes like ’41, Upon whose bosom snow has lain; ’50, and one dear to my heart, the Class of 1960. I look forward to working with my Who intimately lives with rain. reunion committee this year as we begin planning the festivities for the Class of 1978! On a final note, we lost our beloved beech tree which stood in front of the old Norton Gym for so many years. I would like to share with you a poem written by Poems are made by fools like me, Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) called Trees. But only God can make a tree. Until the Spring, Gale Eccleston Ennis ’78 President, Alumni Association Board of Directors 5 Alumni classes from 1950-2013 were represented at this year’s Homecoming tailgating festivities g on Saturday, October 20. Alumni arrived on campus, some five hours before game-time, to prepare for the day’s event. Popup tents and barbeque grills a plenty were set out by our guests and the mouth-watering aromas in the air made one feel sated without eating one n single bite! i This year the Alumni Association offered two challenges to our alumni.