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<strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
FALL 2014 ISSUE:<br />
TRADITIONS: OLD & NEW<br />
ARE YOU<br />
BlueORGold?<br />
Experiential Learning a Highland Hallmark<br />
Celebrating Finley Broaddus‘ Life and Art<br />
by Cathy Campbell<br />
Experiencing Latin Immersion Firsthand<br />
by Celia Kelly<br />
www.highlandschool.org<br />
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
SCHOOL
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
SCHOOL<br />
Board of Trustees<br />
Mr. Tim Dunn*<br />
Chairman<br />
Mrs. Olympia Moshos*<br />
Vice Chair<br />
Mr. David Young*<br />
Treasurer<br />
Mrs. Heather Iasso*<br />
Secretary<br />
Mr. Ike Broaddus*<br />
Mr. Richard Chadwell*<br />
At Highland School, our mission is to provide<br />
a demanding academic and co-curricular program<br />
that develops the skills and character essential<br />
for students to meet the challenges of college<br />
and leadership in the twenty-first century.<br />
To carry out this mission, Highland School<br />
has assembled thoroughly modern facilities,<br />
a large, diverse, and highly qualified staff,<br />
a student body ready to meet the challenges,<br />
and an academic philosophy and strategy that<br />
makes maximum use of these resources.<br />
Mrs. Karen Flikeid<br />
Mrs. Hilary Gerhardt<br />
Mrs. Samantha Gravett<br />
Mrs. Anne Hall<br />
Mr. David Hazel (8th, ‘79)<br />
Mr. Mark Melvin*<br />
Mr. Randy Minter<br />
Mrs. Vaughan Myers<br />
Ms. Diana Norris<br />
Mr. Lewis Pollard<br />
Mrs. Wendy Rodgers<br />
Mrs. Darlene Smith<br />
Mrs. Lesley Soltys<br />
Dr. Beejal Taylor<br />
Mr. David Turner<br />
Mr. Mark Van de Water*<br />
Mrs. Jody Warfield*<br />
Mrs. Laura Tremblay<br />
Parents Association President<br />
Mr. Marshall D. Doeller (8th, ‘67), Trustee Emeritus<br />
Mr. William A. Hazel Sr., Trustee Emeritus<br />
Mr. Paul Rice, Trustee Emeritus<br />
*Indicates member of the Executive Committee
Table of Contents<br />
Fall 2014<br />
Head of School<br />
Henry D. Berg<br />
Writers and Contributors<br />
Amy Babcox (8th, ‘76)<br />
Briar Bogin<br />
Cathy Campbell<br />
Megan Catalfamo<br />
Ann Collins ‘15<br />
Celia Kelly<br />
Oliver Schwartz ‘15<br />
Barbara Wilkes<br />
Graphic Design<br />
David Henrickson<br />
Cathy Campbell remembers Finley Broaddus on page 28<br />
On the cover: Carolyn Treuting ‘18 gets carried away, quite literally, by teammate Grace Barratt ‘18<br />
at last year’s Barbara Wilkes Field Day. Field Day is the culmination of the year-long athletic and academic<br />
‘Blue and Gold’ competition for students in grades three through eight. To learn more, go to page 22.<br />
Photography<br />
David Henrickson<br />
Jon Kraut<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Lora Mackie<br />
Letter from the Head of School 4<br />
At Highland, our traditions, both old<br />
and new, connect us to our past and<br />
help to shape our future.<br />
Welcome to Our New Faculty 14<br />
Highland is proud to introduce our<br />
talented and dedicated new faculty<br />
and staff members for 2014/2015.<br />
Latin: It’s Not Dead Yet! 18<br />
Middle School Latin teacher Celia Kelly<br />
spent a week last summer speaking<br />
Latin at a retreat in West Virginia.<br />
Are You Blue or Gold? 22<br />
The year-long Blue and Gold<br />
competition can define and connect<br />
Lower and Middle School students.<br />
Celebrating the Life and Spirit 28<br />
of Finley Broaddus ‘14<br />
Cathy Campbell celebrates the life<br />
and spirit of Finley Broaddus ‘14.<br />
Experiential Learning Programs 34<br />
at Highland Take Many Forms<br />
In September, students in all divisions<br />
ventured out of the confines of the<br />
classroom to learn by doing.<br />
Exploring the Galapagos Islands 40<br />
Upper School students reflect on their<br />
recent visit to the Galapagos Islands.<br />
Departments<br />
News from Around Campus 5<br />
2014 Graduation Images 12<br />
Class of 2014 College List 11<br />
Senior/Kindergarten Buddies 32<br />
Alumni News and Notes 46<br />
Class Notes Coordinator<br />
Briar Bogin<br />
Director of Communications<br />
David Henrickson<br />
Director of Advancement<br />
Joy Willey<br />
Highland Magazine is produced<br />
by the Office of Communications<br />
for alumni, parents, and friends<br />
of Highland School. Letters and<br />
comments are welcome. Please<br />
send inquiries to: Director<br />
of Communications, Highland<br />
School, 597 Broadview Avenue,<br />
Warrenton, VA 20186, e-mail to<br />
dhenrickson@highlandschool.org,<br />
or telephone 540-878-2717<br />
facebook.com/HighlandSchool<br />
Highland School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, or ethnic origin in the<br />
administration of its educational, employment, or admission policies, its scholarship, athletic, and other school-administered programs.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 3
Letter from The Head of School<br />
Rich Traditions, Both Old and New,<br />
Connect Our Past, Guide Our Future<br />
Inside this issue of Highland Magazine, we explore our traditions and recognize<br />
the generosity of our many donors in the Annual Report section.<br />
Hank Berg, who<br />
has served as<br />
Highland’s Head<br />
of School since<br />
2004, has overseen<br />
an expansion in<br />
both facilities and<br />
curriculum.<br />
At Highland, traditions, both old and new,<br />
anchor us in rituals that remind us of our core<br />
values. They are the ceremonies designed<br />
to connect us to those who came before,<br />
experiences that all students have in common,<br />
and community customs that serve to bind<br />
Highland together across time.<br />
It is remarkable to me that Highland’s founders,<br />
Lavinia Hamilton and Dorothy Rust, understood<br />
key elements in a great education that are still<br />
relevant more than 80 years later.<br />
Today, our challenge is to blend the best of<br />
our longest-running traditions that give us our<br />
bearings with new traditions that allow us to<br />
explore, change, and grow. Highland’s timeless<br />
traditions such as our Honor Code, the yearlong<br />
Blue/Gold competition and Field Day blend<br />
seamlessly with Latin, Spirit Week, the Famous<br />
People Assembly – even our tradition of offering<br />
hay as the first item at our annual Spring Auction<br />
– give us our sense of continuity and place.<br />
Some of our newest traditions have come<br />
as a result of programs that are young compared<br />
to our 85 years of history. I’m thinking of things<br />
like the Robotics Pep Rally and all the shirts,<br />
songs, quilts, videos, and stories that grow out<br />
of our Field Studies programs. Our Poetry Slam,<br />
Coffee Houses, Senior/Kindergarten Buddies,<br />
Dig Pink, and character themes are traditions<br />
that have grown organically out of our most<br />
recently shared experiences. By combining<br />
these time-honored ideas with innovation and<br />
creativity, we create the richest environment<br />
in which to grow for our students individually<br />
and the Highland community as a whole.<br />
I know you’ll enjoy reading about Middle School<br />
faculty member Celia Kelly’s extraordinary<br />
experience attending a camp where only<br />
Latin was spoken; appreciate the unparalleled<br />
opportunity our students had to study ecology<br />
on the Galápagos Islands with Upper School<br />
Science teacher, Jon Kraut; and recognize the<br />
power of belonging to a team in the tradition<br />
of Blue/Gold.<br />
“Today, our challenge<br />
is to blend the best of our<br />
longest-running traditions<br />
that give us our bearings<br />
with new traditions that<br />
allow us to explore,<br />
change, and grow.”<br />
Also in this issue is a tribute to Finley Broaddus<br />
’14 and her ongoing impact on our community.<br />
Finally, help us welcome the talented new<br />
faculty and staff who join a dedicated group of<br />
adults who challenge and support our students.<br />
As Highland approaches a century of serving<br />
this community, let us be thankful for all those<br />
who have built – and continue to build – these<br />
traditions of excellence.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Henry D. Berg<br />
Head of School<br />
4 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
News from Around Campus<br />
Current Chairman of Highland School’s Board of Trustees Tim Dunn sits with newly appointed Trustees Emeriti Paul Rice and<br />
Marshall Doeller (8th, ‘67) at the 85th anniversary of Highland School in a special celebration held in October in The Rice Theater.<br />
Two New Trustees Emeriti Announced<br />
at 85th Anniversary Celebration Event<br />
In October, the Highland community came together to<br />
celebrate its 85th anniversary and welcome two new Trustees<br />
Emeriti, Marshall D. Doeller (8th, ‘67) and Paul G. Rice.<br />
The Sunday evening event, held the same weekend as the<br />
International Gold Cup, included great memories, music,<br />
and the return of some familiar faces to the Highland<br />
Center for the Arts. Those in attendance, which included<br />
past board members, former faculty and staff, and alumni,<br />
heard opening remarks from Chairman of the Board Tim<br />
Dunn and Head of School Hank Berg and enjoyed a short<br />
film looking back at the school’s history.<br />
Mr. Dunn and Mr. Berg introduced Mr. Doeller and<br />
Mr. Rice. Marshall Doeller, who graduated from Highland<br />
School as an 8th grader in 1967, served on the Board<br />
of Trustees from 1992 until 2004. As Chairman of the<br />
Board from 1997 to 2004, Mr. Doeller was instrumental<br />
in implementing an ambitious 10-year Master Plan that<br />
included the construction of Highland’s Upper School,<br />
which officially opened in 1996. This represented a time<br />
of unprecedented growth for Highland School.<br />
Mr. Rice served on the Board of Trustees from 2004<br />
to 2012. He was Chairman of the Board from 2006<br />
to 2012 and, along with his wife Gina, was instrumental<br />
in the design and construction of the Highland Center<br />
for the Arts and The Rice Theater.<br />
The Trustee Emeritus program at Highland School was<br />
formally revised in January of 2014. The first to receive the<br />
honor, which recognizes former Board of Trustees members<br />
for their service and generosity, was William A. Hazel.<br />
Mr. Dunn also took the opportunity to announce the<br />
contract extension of Highland’s Head of School Hank Berg<br />
until June 2018. Mr. Berg has guided the school through<br />
a massive expansion in both facilities and curriculum since<br />
taking the helm in 2004.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 5
News from Around Campus<br />
In September, the Highland community honored<br />
former board member Jodi Johnson, shown here<br />
with Hank Berg, her husband, Dale, and Board Chair<br />
Tim Dunn, for her service and generosity.<br />
Highland School Convocation<br />
Kicks Off the 2014-15 School Year<br />
Head of School Hank Berg and Chairman Tim Dunn kick off the 2014/2015 academic<br />
year by recognizing the many contributions of former board member Jodi Johnson<br />
Highland held its annual Convocation in September<br />
to mark the beginning of the 2014-15 academic year.<br />
The event, which brings together Pre-Kindergarten<br />
through Grade 12 students, faculty, staff, trustees, and<br />
parents, is meant to look for meaning in a new school year.<br />
“We bring almost everyone together so we can see the<br />
school as a whole, not just the portion of it we experience<br />
each day,” said Head of School Hank Berg. “We are<br />
reminded that we are part of a larger community, which is<br />
especially relevant with our character theme this year of<br />
‘Citizenship.’” Chairman of the Board Tim Dunn was also<br />
on hand to welcome the community to the new school year.<br />
For the first time in many years, the Distinguished Service<br />
Award was presented. The award was not meant to be<br />
given every year, but only to the most extraordinary people<br />
whose contributions to the school are exemplary. Receiving<br />
the award this year was Highland parent and former trustee<br />
Jodi Johnson. Her generosity has taken innumerable forms;<br />
her service and leadership taking on countless others.<br />
“I use the word citizenship very deliberately raising my<br />
children – defining what makes a good and respectful<br />
citizen in our home, our family, and our community,”<br />
said Mrs. Johnson.<br />
“If the ways I’ve participated here at Highland over the years<br />
have made me a good citizen of the Highland community,”<br />
Mrs. Johnson continued. “Then I am so pleased and honored<br />
to accept this recognition on behalf of my family – all of whom<br />
respect Highland and what it stands for. Any contributions<br />
I may have made have been with their full support.”<br />
Senior Philip von Feilitzsch addressed the crowd,<br />
welcoming everyone to the start of the school year.<br />
6 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
News from Around Campus<br />
“Allow me to describe to you this school, as I see it,” said Philip.<br />
“To me, Highland is like a sandbox. It’s a place to play, to have<br />
fun, to build things, to learn, a place to make mistakes, and<br />
then be able to smooth them out with a rake and start over.”<br />
“There are also a lot of toys in the sandbox, things to<br />
help you build whatever you want; those opportunities<br />
such as clubs, internships, independent studies, and even<br />
community service that allow you to discover yourself;<br />
find out what you like and what you don’t like. Highland is<br />
a place that allows you and greatly encourages you to find<br />
your passion and pursue it.”<br />
Concluding the event was the recessional of seniors<br />
with their Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten buddies,<br />
a Highland tradition for nearly a decade.<br />
“We believe you are responsible for the quality of the<br />
community in which you live, work, and learn,” Head<br />
of School Hank Berg reminded the audience. “Great<br />
communities do not happen by accident, they happen<br />
because the citizens give more than they take. People<br />
put in time, energy, and personal resources to improve<br />
the quality of their community. This is one of the most<br />
important things you will learn at Highland.”<br />
Spotlight on Athletics<br />
Boys Varsity Tennis<br />
Wins First State Title<br />
Seniors Thomas, Fenton, and Bartz<br />
lead team to victory over North Cross<br />
Highland School’s Boys Varsity Tennis team won its first<br />
VISAA Division II state championship title and our school’s<br />
11th state title with a 5-4 victory over North Cross School<br />
from Roanoke. The state tournament was held at Collegiate<br />
School in Goochland. The team finished the season with a<br />
record of 11-1.<br />
The team was led by seniors Jack Thomas ‘14, Adam<br />
Fenton ‘14, and Tim Bartz ‘14. Bartz won a critical doubles<br />
match with partner Rich Gerhardt ‘16 to seal a hard-fought<br />
victory and title.<br />
“The match came down to the last doubles match<br />
and we ended up pulling out the win,” Boys Tennis Coach<br />
Paola Riccetti said. “It was a great season with a great bunch<br />
of guys who all truly deserve this win.”<br />
The boys rolled through the Delaney Athletic<br />
Conference for their fourth consecutive DAC title with wins<br />
over Fredericksburg Academy and Wakefield School, who they<br />
also beat in the first round of the VISAA state tournament.<br />
“I am so proud of the boys and all of their<br />
accomplishments this season,” Riccetti said. “We have three<br />
amazing top players and some really great overall athletes<br />
filling out the rest of the lineup.”<br />
In addition to Thomas, Fenton, and Bartz, the<br />
championship roster included Manolo Cortes ‘15, John Deal<br />
‘16, Jonathan Finley ‘14, Nick Finley ‘16 Rich Gerhardt ‘16,<br />
Mac Hartley ‘17 James Jarvis ‘14, Eli Kidd ‘17, Hampton<br />
Massie ‘18, and Travis Stolterfoht ‘15. Varsity coaches are<br />
Paola Riccetti and Robert Hampton.<br />
Jack Thomas ‘14, who is playing Division I tennis<br />
at Wofford College in South Carolina, helped lead<br />
the Highland Boys Varsity tennis team to their first<br />
VISAA Division II state title in May.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 7
News from Around Campus<br />
Lego Expo Introduces Students to Engineering<br />
Robotics teams comprised of Lower and Middle School students practice their<br />
engineering, design, and presentation skills before attending regional competitions<br />
Held in the Lower School in October, Highland’s Lego Expo was an exciting event for teams and families alike. With the<br />
challenge theme of “World Class Learning Unleashed,” students showed projects to judges and practiced their teamwork<br />
and presentation skills before their first regional competition of the year in November.<br />
Thanks to all the faculty and staff who gave these teams an awesome introduction to engineering and design thinking.<br />
Claire Mello organized the evening with teachers Betty LaPrade, Charity Duncan, Lindsey Dengel (8th, ‘89), Laurie<br />
Mayer, Michele Daniel-Shenk, Miriam Solms and Claire Mello as team coaches. Joe Cate, Diana Hewitt, Jay Hebert, Pat<br />
Hewitt, Frank Mello, Gary Light, Karen Doucet, and Dale Gillam offered their time as the judges. Andy Keahon presented<br />
a session with his bomb detecting robot partner, and Tony Edwards, from Ledo’s Pizza, donated delicious pizzas to round<br />
out the night. Thanks and congratulations to all!<br />
Spotlight on Athletics<br />
Donations Drive Acquisition<br />
of New Baseball Scoreboard<br />
This Fall, Highland School held a sports memorabilia sale in the Arundel<br />
Gym. The auction-style sale of donated collectibles will help with the<br />
purchase of a new electronic scoreboard for the baseball field. “Thanks to<br />
a very generous donation from current Highland grandparent, Michael<br />
Higgins, we were able to sort and package up some fabulous collectibles<br />
from the 1980’s and 1990’s. Overall, the sale was a complete success,” said<br />
Athletic Director Gary Leake.<br />
In addition to Mr. Higgins, other contributors include Dodson Pest<br />
Control, Ben Gravett Enterprises and the Gimbel Family. Installation of<br />
the scoreboard will be completed prior to the start of the 2015 season!<br />
8 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Spotlight on Academics<br />
Class of 2014 Valedictorian Colby Newson (left) and<br />
Salutatorian Mimi Robinson (right) celebrated their<br />
graduations from Highland School in June.<br />
Highland School Community<br />
Celebrates Graduating Class of 2014<br />
In her address at graduation, Valedictorian Colby Newson ‘14 reminded classmates<br />
that “The hero’s journey is not the voyage from weakness to strength. The true hero’s<br />
journey is the voyage from strength to weakness.”<br />
In June, the Highland Community celebrated its 49<br />
graduates with several days of events that culminated<br />
in the traditional formal graduation ceremony on Friday,<br />
June 13 in the Upper School Gym.<br />
The event started with an introduction by Head of School<br />
Hank Berg. In his remarks, Mr. Berg congratulated the<br />
members of the Class of 2014 for their resilience and<br />
character in the face of a challenging year that included<br />
the death of a classmate and the unexpected passing<br />
of two parents of members of the senior class.<br />
“The legacy of this class rests broadly on two things: first<br />
is the way they treated each other and the example they set<br />
for the adults and underclassmen when we faced difficult<br />
things,” Mr. Berg remarked. “The other is the way they<br />
continued to engage their opportunities to experience<br />
Highland right to the end.”<br />
“Perhaps the best examples of this are students who played<br />
a sport for the first time in the spring of their senior year,<br />
Mr. Berg continued in his opening remarks. “This is the<br />
opposite of a ‘Senior Slump.’” (continued on page 10)<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 9
Spotlight on Academics<br />
Highland School Sends Off Class of 2014 (continued from page 9)<br />
Mr. Berg then introduced Mimi Robinson ‘14, Highland’s<br />
Salutatorian, who is attending the University of Virginia<br />
in Charlottesville this Fall.<br />
“Trying to define the Class of 2014 is impossible, but<br />
I believe we will be remembered for our fortitude and<br />
compassion,” Ms. Robinson reflected in her remarks.<br />
“This class has weathered more together than many people<br />
do in their entire lives. We have suffered unfathomable<br />
loss… loss of relatives, loss of parents, and most recently,<br />
the loss of Finley.” (more on the legacy of Finley Broaddus<br />
can be found on page 28)<br />
“In spite of and throughout the tumult of this year, we<br />
are making it through because, like Finley taught us, our<br />
time should be spent advocating for what we’re passionate<br />
about, while deeply caring for the lives we encounter.”<br />
Ms. Robinson then introduced Highland’s Valedictorian,<br />
Colby Newson ‘14, who is attending Duke University in<br />
Durham, North Carolina.<br />
After taking the obligatory “selfie” with her cell phone in<br />
front of the assembled students, families, faculty, and staff,<br />
Ms. Newson presented her own assessment of the Class<br />
of 2014 and her experiences at Highland School. “One<br />
of my favorite authors, John Green, reflected, the hero’s<br />
journey is not the voyage from weakness to strength,” said<br />
Ms. Newson. “The true hero’s journey is the voyage from<br />
strength to weakness, and I don’t think this could be truer<br />
for us, the Class of 2014.”<br />
“Our journey through high school has been christened by<br />
adversity and heartbreak,” Ms. Newson concluded. “Now,<br />
we are delivered onto a future that only we hold the reins for.”<br />
Highland’s Middle School<br />
Graduates Recognized<br />
Highland School would like to recognize those eighth<br />
grade students who earned Academic Honors for<br />
each semester of all four years they were in Highland’s<br />
Middle School. We are pleased to announce that Honor<br />
Certificates were awarded to the following students:<br />
Logan Ancona<br />
Dean Bailey<br />
Blake Bogin<br />
Joseph Dyer<br />
Lizzie Ellis<br />
Chiara Hampton<br />
Alexander Iasso<br />
Lucas Johnson<br />
Reed Morris<br />
Buckley Norman<br />
Logan Van de Water<br />
Additionally, we would like to recognize those eighth<br />
grade students who earned High Academic Honors for<br />
each semester of all four years they were in Highland’s<br />
Middle School:<br />
Cameron Smith<br />
Abbey Wills<br />
Thank You to Highland<br />
“Lifers” and Their Families!<br />
Highland School would like to thank all the families of<br />
our “lifers” or students who have attended Highland since<br />
Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten as of Spring 2014:<br />
8th Grade Lifers<br />
Kendall Al-Bashir<br />
Grace Barratt<br />
Blake Bogin<br />
Brandon Conlin<br />
Jenna Devanney<br />
Joseph Dyer<br />
Lizzie Ellis<br />
Caroline Flikeid<br />
Shayne Herrera<br />
Lucas Johnson<br />
Mitchell Kannon<br />
Justin Mayer<br />
Reed Morris<br />
Haley Partlow<br />
Dillon Rose<br />
Georgia Scarborough<br />
Jacey Simpson<br />
Adam Smedley<br />
Logan Van de Water<br />
Abbey Wills<br />
12th Grade Lifers<br />
Evan Finley<br />
Nicholas Kulick<br />
Donnie Mayer<br />
Gus Moshos<br />
Olivia Orme<br />
Brett Schmieder<br />
Check out more recent Highland<br />
School stories and news at<br />
www.facebook.com/highlandschool<br />
10 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Highland’s Class of 2014 College Listing<br />
Listed below are the members of the Class of 2014 and their college destinations:<br />
Name<br />
Mallory Ackerson<br />
Timothy Bartz<br />
William Brandt<br />
Jane Braswell<br />
Finley Broaddus<br />
Edward Campell<br />
Lauran Corbin<br />
Jessica Crew<br />
Dali Dong<br />
Sarah Dunn<br />
Adam Fenton<br />
Evan Finley<br />
Jonathon Finley<br />
Julia Gloudeman<br />
Joseph Graham<br />
Erin Herbst<br />
Trung Nhat Huynh<br />
James Jarvis<br />
Rahji Johnson<br />
Matthew Kelly<br />
Nicholas Kulick<br />
Camille LaBranche<br />
Angela Langdon<br />
Gregory Lawson<br />
Joshua Lutz<br />
Donald Mayer<br />
Morgan McGlothlin<br />
Michele Micciche<br />
Logan Miller<br />
Samantha Moseley<br />
Gus Moshos<br />
Colby Newson<br />
Andrew Norman<br />
Olivia Orme<br />
Henry Pendleton<br />
Marissa Ray<br />
Julia Robinson<br />
Miriam Robinson<br />
Jacob Rogers<br />
Christopher Ross<br />
Grant Salley<br />
Brett Schmieder<br />
Sidney Stone<br />
Yiwen Tao<br />
Jack Thomas<br />
Shelby Thornhill<br />
James Willey<br />
Bisma Zaman<br />
Jiayu Zhu<br />
Destination<br />
Furman University<br />
University of Virginia<br />
Lord Fairfax Community College – Middletown Campus<br />
Franklin and Marshall College<br />
College of William and Mary<br />
Washington University in St. Louis<br />
Radford University<br />
Virginia Commonwealth University<br />
University of California, Santa Cruz<br />
University of Edinburgh (Scotland)<br />
Elon University<br />
James Madison University<br />
Roanoke College<br />
College of William and Mary<br />
Baylor University<br />
James Madison University<br />
Northern Virginia Community College - Alexandria Campus<br />
Franklin and Marshall College<br />
Virginia Wesleyan College<br />
Marymount University<br />
Worcester Polytechnic Institute<br />
Georgia State University<br />
High Point University<br />
Washington and Lee University<br />
Radford University<br />
Flagler College<br />
Hampshire College<br />
High Point University<br />
Christopher Newport University<br />
James Madison University<br />
James Madison University<br />
Duke University<br />
University of Virginia<br />
Wofford College<br />
St. Lawrence University<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
University of California, Santa Barbara<br />
University of Virginia<br />
University of Colorado Colorado Springs<br />
Hampden-Sydney College<br />
Franklin and Marshall College<br />
Denison University<br />
Washington College<br />
University of Redlands<br />
Wofford College<br />
University of South Carolina<br />
Swarthmore College<br />
Virginia Commonwealth University<br />
Boston University<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 11
In the Spotlight<br />
Congratulations<br />
to the Graduates of<br />
Highland’s Class of 2014!<br />
In June, the Highland community came together to<br />
celebrate the graduation of Highland School’s Class of<br />
2014. Taking their places in the Upper School gym and<br />
on the lawn at Winfree Commons, graduates shared stories,<br />
memories, and one final Highland experience before<br />
heading off on their next steps.<br />
12 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
In the Spotlight<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 13
Spotlight on Faculty<br />
Back Row: Michael Black, Eric Olson, Tom Harris, Patrick Morse, Sarah Tomsyck, Lyndsey Marcus, Pat Hewitt, Lise Hicklin, Jane Banse,<br />
Drew Miller, and Cathy Hartley. Front Row: Hank Berg, Erica Deane, Michelle Cruz, David Henrickson, and Matt Ormiston.<br />
Highland Adds New Faculty, Staff<br />
for 2014/2015 Academic Year<br />
The faculty and staff of Highland School are proud to announce the addition of 14 new members<br />
to the Highland family. These talented educators and professionals bring a broad range of personal<br />
and professional experiences and interests to students across Highland’s three divisions.<br />
Jane Banse, Librarian<br />
Jane Banse joins Highland School as the Librarian.<br />
Most recently she was the Librarian/Media Specialist<br />
and English teacher at Middleburg Academy where she<br />
not only taught, but developed a new library website and<br />
a new circulation system. Mrs. Banse brings a wealth<br />
of experience linking technology and library activities,<br />
including laptop and iPad programs, cloud-based<br />
curriculum, and more. She earned a B.A. in Art History<br />
from Duke University and a Master of Library and<br />
Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh.<br />
Michael Black, Upper School Math<br />
Michael Black joins the Highland School faculty to teach<br />
Upper School Math. Mr. Black previously taught Math and<br />
History at Newman School in Boston. While there, Mr.<br />
Black was also the International Baccalaureate program<br />
advisor, college scholarship advisor, and boy’s varsity<br />
lacrosse coach. He spends his free time coaching both<br />
indoor and outdoor lacrosse leagues and plans to use<br />
his math background to play an active role in Highland’s<br />
Robotics program. Mr. Black earned a B.S. in Mechanical<br />
Engineering Technology from the Wentworth Institute<br />
14 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Spotlight on Faculty<br />
of Technology in Boston and an MBA in Strategy and<br />
Leadership from Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA.<br />
Michelle Cruz, Middle School Math<br />
Michelle Cruz teaches Middle School Math. She comes<br />
to Highland from the Arden Anglican School in Sydney,<br />
Australia where she was a student teacher in Math for<br />
grades 7-10. Ms. Cruz earned a B.S. in Mathematics<br />
Education from Boston University. While in college she<br />
was also a member of Sigma Kappa, the Panhellenic<br />
Council, the Elementary Educators Club, and the<br />
Transitional Mentor Program.<br />
Erica Deane, Middle School Science<br />
Erica Deane joins the faculty to teach Middle School<br />
Science. Previously, she taught Math at Peter Muhlenberg<br />
Middle School in Shenandoah County, where she was also<br />
elected Middle School Teacher of the Year. During her<br />
tenure there, she was a key member of the Chromebook<br />
pilot program integration, organized mentor meetings and<br />
field trips, was a grant writer, and a trained member of the<br />
clinical staff. Ms. Deane holds a certification in Middle<br />
School Math and Chemistry (all grades). She earned a<br />
B.S. in Chemistry from Lynchburg College with a Minor<br />
in Mathematics. She was also a member of the Society of<br />
Westover Fellows, the Lynchburg College Honors program.<br />
Tom Harris, Middle School Social Studies<br />
Tom Harris joins the Middle School faculty to teach Grades<br />
5-6 Social Studies. He previously worked with our students<br />
as part of the Wellness program, and will continue teaching<br />
Grade 7 Wellness this year. He is the Executive Director for<br />
the Fauquier Community Alliance for Drug Rehabilitation<br />
and Education. Mr. Harris is Founder and President of<br />
the Muddy Tracks Foundation, an organization to help<br />
youth develop leadership skills through outdoor teaching<br />
programs. Mr. Harris earned a B.S. from the University of<br />
Maine where he majored in Secondary Education/Social<br />
Studies. He also brings a wealth of volunteer experience<br />
from across Fauquier County.<br />
Cathy Hartley, Pre-Kindergarten 3/4<br />
Cathy Hartley joins the Lower School faculty to teach<br />
PK 3/4. She comes to Highland from The Hill School where<br />
she was the lead teacher for Junior Kindergarten. While<br />
there, she developed and implemented a new program<br />
including classroom set-up and organization, curriculum<br />
development, and student evaluation. Mrs. Hartley also<br />
taught Kindergarten for nearly ten years while at The Hill<br />
School. She earned a B.A. from Randolph Macon College<br />
with a major in History and minor in Art History. Her son<br />
Mac is a member of Highland’s sophomore class.<br />
David Henrickson, Director of Communications<br />
David Henrickson joins the staff as the Director of<br />
Communications bringing more than 20 years experience<br />
in marketing and advertising as both a writer and graphic<br />
designer. From 1999 to 2011, he ran his own advertising<br />
agency, located in Warrenton, serving a variety of local,<br />
regional and national clients. Mr. Henrickson earned<br />
a B.A. from the University of Mary Washington and<br />
has two children, Libby (Grade 6) and Andrew (Grade 4)<br />
who attend Highland.<br />
Patrick Hewitt, Upper School Physics<br />
Patrick Hewitt comes to Highland to teach Upper School<br />
Physics. For the past 20 years, he has been with Aerojet<br />
Corporation in Gainesville, where he maintains a variety<br />
of responsibilities including cost center management,<br />
engine programs, and multi-million dollar budgets.<br />
Dr. Hewitt earned a B.S., M.S., and a Ph.D., all in Aerospace<br />
Engineering from Virginia Tech. He attended the Defense<br />
Systems Management College and was part of the Sterling<br />
Institute Program Management Training Program.<br />
Dr. Hewitt was very involved in our Robotics program<br />
last year and is the lead Robotics mentor this year.<br />
Melanie Lillard (9th, ‘88), Middle School<br />
Language Arts and Upper School English<br />
Melanie Lillard (9th, ’88) joins the Highland faculty to<br />
teach Grade 8 Language Arts and English III in the Upper<br />
School. Most recently she co-founded the VA Farm Project<br />
and the Blue Ridge Titans field hockey club. Mrs. Lillard<br />
spent time as a member of the St. James’ Master Planning<br />
Committee and was a board member of the Mental Health<br />
Association of Fauquier County. From 2000-2004, she<br />
taught Upper School English at Highland and coached field<br />
hockey. She earned a B.S. in English Secondary Education<br />
from Appalachian State University in North Carolina.<br />
Lyndsey Marcus, Middle School Language Arts<br />
Lyndsey Marcus joins the faculty to teach Middle School<br />
Language Arts. She recently completed her M.A. in English<br />
at UVA. She earned her B.A. in English Cum Laude<br />
from James Madison University and received the JMU<br />
Departmental Award for Excellence in the Study of British<br />
Literature. Ms. Marcus recently was a teacher’s assistant<br />
at UVA in the Department of Media Studies and the M.A.<br />
representative on the Graduate English Student Association.<br />
Drew Miller, Upper School History<br />
Drew Miller teaches Upper School History and coaches<br />
Varsity Boys Basketball. He comes to Highland from<br />
Lanier High School in Austin, TX, where he taught World<br />
Geography. Prior to that, Mr. Miller was the Exercise &<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 15
In August, new faculty and staff joined Highland’s<br />
Division Directors for a hike and orientation at<br />
Sky Meadow State Park in Delaplane.<br />
Sport Science Instructor/Intramural Director at Hiram<br />
College in Ohio. He has coached both men’s and women’s<br />
basketball and tennis at the collegiate level. He earned a<br />
B.A. in Psychology from Kenyon College and an M.S. in<br />
Education: Sport Science/Coaching from the University<br />
of Akron. He was a four-year starter on the men’s<br />
basketball and baseball teams at Kenyon. Mr. Miller’s son<br />
Dylan is in Kindergarten and daughter Taylor is in PK3/4.<br />
Patrick Morse, Upper School English<br />
Patrick Morse teaches Upper School English. He comes<br />
to Highland from Robert American College in Istanbul,<br />
Turkey, where he taught English Language Arts. While<br />
there, he implemented an ESL writing curriculum for<br />
students with a wide range of abilities from beginner<br />
to fluent speaker and also helped increase the use of<br />
technology-aided learning. Prior to that, Mr. Morse<br />
taught English at the TEVITOL School in Kocaeli, Turkey,<br />
a school serving gifted and talented students. He earned<br />
a B.A. in English and Secondary Education Cum Laude<br />
from Salem State University. He also coached the Robert<br />
American College girls soccer and boys rugby teams.<br />
Eric Olson, Upper School Chemistry<br />
Eric Olson joins the Upper School faculty to teach<br />
Chemistry. He comes to Highland from the Linden<br />
Hall School for Girls in Lititz, PA, where he taught AP<br />
Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, Chemistry, AP Physics B,<br />
and Honors Physics. Prior to that Dr. Olson was an adjunct<br />
science professor at both Union College and Sage College<br />
in New York. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from St. John’s<br />
University, an M.A. in Teaching from the University of<br />
Southern California, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the<br />
University of Minnesota. His daughter Claire joins Highland’s<br />
freshman class and his daughter Ana Leah is in PK4/5.<br />
Sarah Tomsyck, Upper School English<br />
Sarah Tomsyck comes to Highland to teach Upper School<br />
English. Most recently she taught 9-12th grade English at<br />
the Loudoun School for the Gifted in Ashburn. Prior to<br />
that, she was an Associate Instructor and Adjunct Lecturer<br />
at Indiana University, teaching courses in Elementary<br />
Composition, Introduction to Fiction and Professional<br />
Writing. Ms. Tomsyck earned a B.A. Magna Cum Laude<br />
from Knox College and an M.A. from the University of<br />
Massachusetts-Amherst. She also completed an additional<br />
90 hours of coursework in English at Indiana University.<br />
For the past two years she has been an AP subject reader<br />
for the College Board’s AP English Language<br />
and Composition test.<br />
Learn more about our faculty and staff<br />
online at highlandschool.org/faculty<br />
16 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
[ What door will your gift open? ]<br />
Honorary Gift Club Levels<br />
Founders Circle<br />
$25,000 and above<br />
Trustees Council $10,000 – $24,999<br />
Hamilton-Rust Circle $5,000 – $9,999<br />
1928 Society $2,500 – $4,999<br />
Support Highland School’s Annual Fund Today<br />
Your tax-deductible gift to Highland School’s Annual<br />
Fund can change the lives of students across all<br />
divisions. Through your generous donations, you’re<br />
opening doors for Highland students by maintaining<br />
small class sizes, offering engaging programming, and<br />
providing a wide range of activities and educational<br />
experiences to complement our core curriculum.<br />
To make your gift, go to highlandschool.org/donate<br />
Head of School Club $1,000 – $2,499<br />
Blue/Gold Club $500 – $999<br />
Friend of Highland $250 – $999<br />
Supporter up to $249<br />
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
SCHOOL
Spotlight on Faculty<br />
THE JOY OF<br />
SPEAKING<br />
Article Written by Celia Kelly, Middle School Latin Teacher<br />
When I was a senior in high school, a friend of mine asked<br />
our Latin teacher if we could try speaking the language in<br />
class. He was struggling in Latin, and hoped that speaking<br />
would help him better grasp the grammar, as it had in<br />
Spanish. My teacher, though a wonderful and passionate<br />
educator, could not wrap his head around this request.<br />
Why would anyone want to spend time learning to speak<br />
Latin, when there are no ancient Romans around?<br />
A New Approach to Presenting Latin<br />
For the past four years, my approach to teaching Latin<br />
has in many ways mirrored the way I was taught. Though<br />
I’ve kept students engaged with games and fun lessons<br />
on Roman culture, the core of my instruction has been<br />
teaching students to memorize grammar and vocabulary<br />
and translate passages of Latin into English. Increasingly,<br />
however, Latin teachers are moving away from grammartranslation<br />
toward more active, communicative approaches<br />
to teaching Latin.<br />
This summer, Highland granted me a faculty fellowship<br />
to participate in Rusticatio Virginiana, a spoken-Latin<br />
immersion program run by SALVI (Septentrionale<br />
Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum), or the North<br />
American Institute for Living Latin. Held at the Claymont<br />
Mansion in Charles Town, West Virginia. The program<br />
is tailored for teachers like me, who know Latin on paper<br />
but have never tried to speak it in conversation, as well as<br />
veteran Latin speakers. For seven days we spoke nothing<br />
but Latin, as we attended classes on topics from food and<br />
clothing to the history of the mansion, played language<br />
games, discussed Latin readings, practiced and performed<br />
short plays, and prepared meals for the group.<br />
Even our free time was in Latin — we took nature walks, told<br />
stories on the porch, played Bananagrams and Texas Hold<br />
‘Em, had a bonfire for July 4th, and more. Each night, I kept a<br />
journal in Latin, recording what we had done that day, what I<br />
had learned, and what teaching methods I had observed.<br />
Spoken-Latin Offers Meaningful Contexts<br />
Why speak Latin when there are no ancient Romans<br />
around? As we say at Rusticatio, non discimus ut loquamur;<br />
loquimur ut discamus (we’re not learning to speak;<br />
we’re speaking to learn). Speaking gives you much<br />
more practice with the language than you get by just<br />
translating a Latin passage into English. Furthermore,<br />
speaking makes grammar and vocabulary stick better<br />
in your brain because you’re practicing them in<br />
meaningful contexts.<br />
18 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Rusticatio was my first foray into spoken Latin, and<br />
I was amazed at how much I learned in just seven days.<br />
I could make flashcards to learn the Latin words for cake,<br />
flour, sugar, and blueberries, but I wouldn’t remember<br />
them half as well as I do now that I have had to make a<br />
blueberry cake from a recipe written in Latin.<br />
Incorporating Spoken Latin in the<br />
Classroom Offers Students New Motivation<br />
Rusticatio has renewed my drive to improve how I teach<br />
Latin, and has inspired me to start incorporating spoken<br />
Latin into my classroom. If you come into my classroom<br />
this fall, you will see students responding to classroom<br />
instructions in Latin and asking “Quaeso, licetne mihi<br />
ad armarium ire?” (“Please, may I go to my locker?”).<br />
“Why speak Latin when there<br />
are no ancient Romans around?<br />
As we say at Rusticatio, non<br />
discimus ut loquamur; loquimur<br />
ut discamus – we’re not learning<br />
to speak; we’re speaking to learn.”<br />
‘Quomodo Dicitur Volleyball Latine’<br />
or How Do You Say Volleyball in Latin?<br />
My seventh graders, who are all called by their chosen<br />
Roman names, greet me in Latin in the hallways, and<br />
love to ask questions like, “Quomodo dicitur volleyball<br />
Latine?” (“How do you say volleyball in Latin?”). (It’s follis<br />
volaticus, by the way.) My eighth graders are starting to<br />
discuss stories in Latin, and even learning some grammar<br />
concepts through spoken Latin.<br />
It will be a challenge and a journey to move to<br />
a communicative approach to teaching Latin, but<br />
I am convinced that I am moving in the right direction.<br />
Already, I am seeing students more engaged than ever.<br />
Recently, I taught plural direct objects by instructing my<br />
eighth graders to eat first one Teddy Grahams, then two<br />
Teddy Grahams, to throw first one ball, then two balls.<br />
My students’ reaction says it all: “We should learn like<br />
this all the time.” n<br />
Highland’s Faculty Fellowship<br />
Program Supports a Range<br />
of Initiatives for Faculty, Staff<br />
Using iPads and Mobile Devices<br />
to Help Students with Disabilities<br />
The iPad has quickly become a platform for<br />
learning that is agile enough to meet the learning<br />
needs for any subject, any age and all abilities.<br />
Schools and teachers need to be prepared to<br />
effectively implement this valuable resource to<br />
meet the needs of our learning community.<br />
This summer, Michele Daniel-Shenk and<br />
Andrea McEvoy in Highland’s Lower School<br />
received faculty fellowship grants to take<br />
the required 36 classes to receive TCEA’s<br />
Mobile Devices for Children with Disabilities<br />
Certification. This series of classes will enable<br />
them to better direct other faculty members<br />
to resources for use with the iPads.<br />
Dr. John Harmon Completes Two<br />
Fellowships with Middle School Focus<br />
For his faculty fellowships this summer, John<br />
Harmon worked on two curricular projects for the<br />
Middle School. Dr. Harmon’s first faculty fellowship<br />
focused on developing an eighth grade signature<br />
project. He researched culminating projects at<br />
other independent schools and read several<br />
interesting books on the subject.<br />
“My hope is to create a project that involves<br />
reflection, technology and several academic<br />
disciplines. As the eighth grade Language<br />
Arts teacher this year, my students and I will be<br />
working on building this project together.”<br />
The second part of Dr. Harmon’s fellowship<br />
focused on identifying and implementing key<br />
habits of learning for our middle school students.<br />
“As adults, we know that developing a variety<br />
of social, academic, and developmental skills is<br />
important for our students’ long term success, Dr.<br />
Harmon said. “In February, we began as a faculty<br />
to identify the key skills or habits for each grade<br />
level in our middle school.”<br />
In June, the faculty met and provided specific<br />
examples of these habits from their classes.
Highland’s Faculty Fellowship Program<br />
Supports a Range of Initiatives for Faculty, Staff<br />
“Matt Ormiston and I met during the summer to<br />
refine these lists and put them into a more tangible<br />
format for our teachers and students. We will meet<br />
with the teachers this Fall to begin implementing<br />
these habits in our academic classes as well.”<br />
Middle School Teachers Engage<br />
Students Using “Flipped Classroom”<br />
Teachers today are asking, “How can I create<br />
a class that encourages meaningful learning?”<br />
The ‘flipped classroom’ concept, in which teachers<br />
make lectures available by video to be viewed at home,<br />
creates the opportunity for class time to be focused<br />
around more active learning – things like project-based<br />
learning, inquiry activities, group discussion,<br />
peer-teaching scenarios, and video teaching.<br />
In addition to participating in a four-part webinar<br />
series discussing the flipped classroom concept<br />
and ways to incorporate it into one’s practice,<br />
Middle School Instructional Technology Coordinator<br />
Bryanne Peterson, Social Science Department<br />
Chair Scott Pragoff, and Math teacher Lindsay<br />
Ward took an online course offered by Capella<br />
University to earn a Flipped Class Certificate.<br />
In addition to this training, the group will collaborate<br />
to create video lessons for math and social studies<br />
that will launch our flipped classroom experience in<br />
the fall and prepare them to mentor other colleagues<br />
around the Highland campus in the upcoming years.<br />
“In order to make meaningful connections between our<br />
content material and our students, we seek to engage<br />
students in learner-based instruction, said Scott Pragoff.<br />
“We want to promote a genuine curiosity within each<br />
of our students and give him/her the kind of classroom<br />
environment where they feel free to explore topics and<br />
ask questions rather than solely being fed information.”<br />
Flipping the classroom has two intended results;<br />
first, it gives the student ownership of his/her learning,<br />
and second, it allows teachers to concentrate on<br />
higher-order thinking skills during class. Middle School<br />
students are just learning to take notes and filter out<br />
information in a lecture-style classroom, so having a<br />
library of video lessons where the student can pause,<br />
rewind, and re-watch lectures, allows these students<br />
to maximize their understanding of the lecture.<br />
Students in Middle School are learning how to hold<br />
themselves accountable for taking care of their<br />
responsibilities, and giving them the power on the<br />
video lessons does just this. Piloting the program in<br />
math, social studies, and technology departments<br />
will demonstrate the relevance and accessibility for<br />
all grade levels and content areas to fellow faculty.<br />
Identifying New Math Curriculum<br />
for Highland’s Lower School<br />
This summer, Miriam Solms’ faculty fellowship<br />
hours were spent researching current best practice<br />
approaches in teaching mathematics in the<br />
elementary grades in order to gather information<br />
to aid in the selection of a new math curriculum<br />
for the Lower School.<br />
Mrs. Solms researched the contents of the Common<br />
Core Standards, Virginia’s Standards of Learning, and<br />
the Standards of Learning outlined by the National<br />
Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Four different<br />
math curriculums were reviewed and analyzed to<br />
see how closely they align with these standards.<br />
This information will be used to aid in the selection<br />
of the new math curriculum that will be chosen<br />
and purchased for the 2015-2016 school year.<br />
Upper School Faculty, Staff Test ePortfolios<br />
Each year, Upper School students create porfolios that<br />
reflect the work they have completed over the course<br />
of their time at Highland School. Last summer, a group<br />
of Upper School faculty and staff came together to<br />
study the possibility of moving these portfolios online.<br />
The team assembled for this faculty fellowship, which<br />
was led by Megan Catalfamo and Robert Hampton,<br />
looked at potential tools, design and content ideas,<br />
and tested the program with a select group of Upper<br />
School students. Based on the results of this study,<br />
the group, which also includes faculty members Cathy<br />
Campbell, Elaine Patry, Ronnie Ross, and staff member<br />
David Henrickson, will be rolling out a pilot ePortfolio<br />
program for a small group of ninth grade students for<br />
the 2014/2015 academic year.<br />
20 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong> AUCTION<br />
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015<br />
Annual Highland Auction<br />
Saturday, April 11, 2015<br />
Upper School Gym<br />
Go online to highlandauction.org<br />
to order your tickets and VIP tables
A<br />
Last year’s Gold team captains anxiously await the final tally that would<br />
determine which team won the 2014 Barbara Wilkes Field Day in May.<br />
22 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Feature Article<br />
RE YOU<br />
BLUE<br />
GOLD?<br />
Blue/Gold. Blue and Gold. Blue or Gold. No<br />
matter how you look at it, they are just two colors,<br />
but for Highland’s Lower and Middle School students<br />
in Grades 3 through 8, it’s so much more than that.<br />
For Highland students, Blue and Gold is a year-long<br />
competition that pits classmates, friends, and even<br />
Highland’s faculty and staff against one another in a<br />
series of fun athletic and academic challenges that makes<br />
the two colors much more than they seem.<br />
At Highland, It’s More than a Question<br />
Every year for as long as anybody can remember, young<br />
leaders have emerged, school and team spirit is fostered,<br />
and friendly competitions bubble up throughout the<br />
Lower and Middle schools as daily sports games and<br />
academic accolades help students earn points for their<br />
respective teams. The competition wraps up each Spring<br />
with the Barbara Wilkes Field Day held around the<br />
Highland campus. (You can read Ms. Wilkes’ reflections<br />
on the history of Blue and Gold on page 27.)<br />
In the end, these two traditional Highland colors –<br />
Blue and Gold – take on a new meaning. Ultimately,<br />
they come to represent two teams locked in a heated<br />
year-long battle for the coveted championship title. That<br />
title is often remembered long after their Middle School<br />
years come to an end.<br />
“When I came to Highland 30 years ago, the Blue/Gold<br />
tradition was well in place,” said Lower School Director<br />
Lise Hicklin. “The enthusiasm for the competition has<br />
continued and gives students in grades three through<br />
eight a fun focus for their particular Blue or Gold team.<br />
It’s a great way to promote athletics and team spirit.”<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 23
Students are Placed on a Team in 3rd Grade<br />
Highland students are placed on a color team in third<br />
grade, or whenever they begin at Highland School<br />
between third and eighth grades. The pep rally, held<br />
each Fall during Spirit Week in which colors are<br />
given, is an annual rite of passage.<br />
Color assignments are made by the Middle School<br />
coaching staff with the goal of creating as even a match<br />
up as possible between the two teams. Then, the<br />
assignments are revealed to new students through an<br />
elaborate, loud, and often, spirited ceremony.<br />
For this Fall’s Pep Rally, held in the Upper School gym<br />
in October, students received a small gold or blue<br />
teddy bear revealed to them by team captains on an<br />
elaborately decorated platter. Students grabbed their<br />
bears and were greeted by a long line of newfound<br />
teammates on either side of the gym. Smiles, hugs,<br />
laughter, and high-fives were abundant.<br />
Faculty Get in on the Action<br />
Faculty members in Grades three through eight are<br />
also assigned colors. For alumni, who are returning as<br />
Lower or Middle School teachers, some have the same<br />
color now as they did when they were students.<br />
“I always thought Blue/Gold was fun. It builds school<br />
spirit and breeds a little competitiveness,” said Melanie<br />
Lillard (9th, ‘88 and currently an English teacher at<br />
Highland). “I was a Gold from third grade through<br />
sometime in Middle School. Then, I was switched to a<br />
blue! This was unheard of and memorable. I was very<br />
proud to win the high point blue trophy at Field Day<br />
my ninth grade year. I think I still have it!”<br />
Blue/Gold is More Than Just Athletics<br />
The Blue/Gold competitions last all year and involve<br />
academic, athletic, and community service. The official<br />
scoring is posted weekly by Blue and Gold team captains<br />
outside the Middle School Athletic Office. The tally is<br />
carefully watched by parents, students, and faculty alike.<br />
“The Blue/Gold competition helps to foster a sense of<br />
community at Highland,” said Middle School Athletic<br />
Director and Highland alum Reynolds Oare ’03.<br />
“It provides friendly rivalries and competition<br />
among the students and faculty.”<br />
“As a student, Blue/Gold games and Field Day meant<br />
everything to me. Becoming a Captain in 8th grade<br />
was possibly the greatest honor I received as a Middle<br />
School student. I like how we have added in points for<br />
things like the Pep Rally, Student Awards, and ‘integrity<br />
moments’ to help round out the competition.<br />
Members of this year’s Blue team greet their new teammate<br />
at the Blue/Gold Pep Rally held this Fall during Spirit Week.<br />
24 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 25
New team members learned<br />
their colors by being shown<br />
a blue or gold stuffed bear.<br />
Blue Captain Ben Babcox ‘19 and Gold Captain Luke<br />
Rodgers ‘19 show that, although the competition can be<br />
fierce, they can still come together before the Pep Rally.<br />
26 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Blue Gold<br />
By Barbara Wilkes, former Highland School Athletic Director and Physical Education teacher<br />
When I started teaching at Highland School in 1974,<br />
the Blue/Gold Competition was run by Barbara Woolman.<br />
At that time, it was strictly an athletic competition. Fourth<br />
and fifth grade boys and girls played in soccer games in the<br />
fall, and sixth through eighth grade boys and girls<br />
competed in soccer and field hockey.<br />
In 1974, Blue/Gold was Athletics Only<br />
That Spring, the boys played a baseball game and the girls<br />
played soccer. The final Blue/Gold competition was field day.<br />
Field day events were the dash, shot put, softball throw, high<br />
jump, obstacle course, long jump, distance, and the relays.<br />
Ribbons were given out for first through fourth place. Also,<br />
a trophy was awarded to the Blue and Gold girl and boy<br />
earning the most points during the field day competitions.<br />
event. The trophies for most points earned were handed out<br />
at the end of field day and the winning team was announced.<br />
Also, the high jump was dropped as an event.<br />
In the late 1990’s the pep rally was added and Andy<br />
Morgan started the Spirit of the Hawk award. The Blue/<br />
Gold Competition stayed this way until 2003 when I started<br />
teaching computers. I believe it is pretty much the same<br />
now. Field Day was renamed Barbara Wilkes Field Day<br />
when I retired in 2007. n<br />
At the end of the year, there was an awards banquet held<br />
at St. James Episcopal Church where ribbons for field day<br />
and the trophies for most points and academic awards were<br />
given. At the end of the banquet, the winning team for the<br />
year was announced. The Captain for each team was picked<br />
strictly by who had the highest grade point average and<br />
there was only one captain per team.<br />
Co-captains Added in the Late 1970’s<br />
In the late 1970’s, the faculty decided it would be best if there<br />
was a co-captain. The Captain was the student on each team<br />
that had the highest grade point average and the co-captain<br />
was the person of the opposite sex that had the highest grade<br />
point average. The other competitions stayed the same. In<br />
the 1980’s, the faculty added sportsmanship alongside high<br />
academics to be part of how the captain was chosen.<br />
As student numbers increased, the soccer throw was added<br />
to the list of Field Day events. In the late 1980’s, lacrosse was<br />
added as a Spring sport and that replaced baseball and girls<br />
soccer. As the school grew, the banquet wasn’t a possibility<br />
and we separated the Field Day Awards from the Academic<br />
Awards Night.<br />
We added two more places for each Field Day so first through<br />
sixth place were awarded and handed out at the end of each<br />
Former Highland Athletic Director Barbara Wilkes shares some<br />
quality time with the Hawk at last year’s field day<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 27
In this photo, Finley Broaddus ‘14, center, is surrounded<br />
by her brother Coleman, standing at left, mother Julie,<br />
father Ike, and sister Callie ‘08, kneeling at right with<br />
their dog Riley, at home in Broad Run.
Elizabeth<br />
Finley<br />
Broaddus<br />
A tribute to Finley Broaddus<br />
by Cathy Campbell<br />
Upper School English Teacher<br />
and Dean of Students<br />
“Finley: the name called out by classmates in crowded school halls, and<br />
posted proudly by the paintings on the wall. Elizabeth is my first name,<br />
but most people know me as Finley.”<br />
Finley Broaddus ’14, William and Mary application essay<br />
On a Friday evening last November, Finley Broaddus<br />
sat on a couch in Highland’s College Counseling Office<br />
working on her William and Mary essay. She had been<br />
working on it off and on for weeks, but now at 6:00pm<br />
the Early Decision midnight deadline loomed large.<br />
The building had mostly cleared out, except for a dozen or<br />
so students who were headed downtown to see “Romeo<br />
and Juliet” with members of the English faculty. While the<br />
theatergoers ate pizza in the student lounge, I sat down with<br />
Finley to discuss the latest draft of her supplemental essay.<br />
Finley’s heart was set on William and Mary, so this was<br />
high-stakes writing. A gifted writer, she was nevertheless<br />
struggling, like every senior before and since, with the<br />
daunting task of trying to squeeze the enormity of a life<br />
into a few hundred words. Beyond your impressive academic<br />
credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, the prompt<br />
instructed, what else makes you unique and colorful? Provide<br />
us with some suggestion of the type of person you are.<br />
She wanted to get it right, to explain who she was, what<br />
motivated her, and why she wanted to study environmental<br />
science in college. When I stood up thirty minutes later to<br />
board the bus to DC, Finley remained on the couch, fingers<br />
moving over the keyboard, fully focused on the task at hand.<br />
“Within about ten minutes of meeting me, people<br />
register two things: 1) I have green eyes and 2) My<br />
greatest ambition is to do everything I can to protect the<br />
environment. As a child, I often wondered if my eyes were<br />
green because of the countless hours I spent gazing into<br />
the bottle-green water of the pond in my backyard.”<br />
“Seventeen years (and a few biology classes) later,<br />
I’m aware that staring at something can’t magically<br />
change the color of your eyes. Nevertheless, my green<br />
eyes are my favorite feature; they remind me of who I am<br />
and what I want to accomplish. …Green means go; it is<br />
a call to action, and I am ready to respond.” (William and<br />
Mary essay excerpt)<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 29
Finley launched her ‘Green Leap Forward’<br />
Fund in March to support efforts that have<br />
a positive impact on the environment.<br />
That December, Finley was accepted early decision into<br />
William and Mary’s class of 2018; in February, she became<br />
an in-patient at Hopkins battling a rare and incurable form<br />
of liver cancer.<br />
The youngest child of Ike and Julie Broaddus and sibling<br />
of Coleman and Callie ’08, Finley had attended Highland<br />
since the fifth grade. With the lithe body of a dancer and<br />
arms that moved when she spoke, she always struck one as<br />
an intuitively expressive person.<br />
To share a space with Finley was to understand the grace<br />
and beauty of her physical presence. Perhaps she loved<br />
butterflies so much because she was part one herself.<br />
Intensely smart and often funny, she had a way of pursing<br />
her lips and looking upward when considering a question,<br />
tapping the side of her cheek with her finger as though to<br />
emphasize that she was doing some very serious thinking.<br />
While she had several deep friendships, she also moved<br />
easily between groups; indeed, it was her inclusiveness<br />
and kindness that gave rise to one of her nicknames:<br />
Friendly. Her interests spanned the Upper School building,<br />
from the Science Hallway where she took AP Biology<br />
and spearheaded the recycling efforts of Green Team,<br />
to the Fine Arts Center where she performed at Coffee<br />
Houses and drama productions, and spent hours in the art<br />
studio. Outside, she played varsity tennis and interned at<br />
Piedmont Environmental Council. She adored animals.<br />
Y Y Y Y<br />
In the early months of 2014, Highland students and faculty<br />
pieced together a large quilt with messages of love and<br />
support to send to Hopkins. We knew that Finley didn’t<br />
want “stuff,” – she had been very clear when asked that<br />
what she really wanted was our help with the Earth.<br />
30 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
In response to my inquiry she texted: “If you<br />
guys could do something that is good for the<br />
environment, then that would lift my spirits<br />
sooo much. Reduce, reuse, recycle or plant<br />
something. ANYTHING that would help fight<br />
climate change!”<br />
From her hospital bed, she worked with family<br />
and friends to focus her vision, establishing<br />
the “Green Leap Forward” Fund to “support<br />
local and global efforts that have an impact<br />
on the environment.” By Earth Day, the fund<br />
had raised over $100,000 and under Finley’s<br />
direction awarded its first two grants of $5,000<br />
each to The Green Belt Movement in Nairobi,<br />
Kenya and the Cacapon Institute in High View,<br />
West Virginia. As spring arrived, friends and<br />
classmates donated to her fund, wore green<br />
bracelets, planted trees and posted pictures of<br />
them on the Finley’s Fight Facebook page.<br />
On June 11, hundreds poured into the Airlie<br />
Center Pavilion and Gardens to celebrate Finley’s<br />
life and be received by the Broaddus family. Two<br />
days earlier, class officer Erin Herbst paid tribute<br />
to her friend and classmate at an emotional<br />
Senior-Parent Dinner:“Finley…had the innate<br />
gift of bringing conscious intent and passion<br />
to her actions and interactions with her<br />
classmates and the world around her.,” Herbst<br />
stated. “I believe that if we each continue<br />
to do the same, her spirit that graced and<br />
accompanied us will endure into the future<br />
and our happiness will flourish.”<br />
On June 13th, valedictorian Colby Newson<br />
addressed her classmates at Commencement<br />
and concluded: “I challenge you to find a way<br />
to incorporate Finley’s courage, optimism,<br />
passion and empathy in the way you live… My<br />
advice comes from knowing Finley: never forget<br />
to insert meaning into your life, dare to be<br />
someone bigger than you can, and strive to be<br />
someone worth believing in.”<br />
Y Y Y Y<br />
As a child, Finley’s green eyes reflected the deep<br />
water in her pond outside her house; as a young<br />
woman, she focused those eyes on the green<br />
world around her that she wished to nurture<br />
and sustain. Moving forward, we see our best<br />
selves reflected in her vision of hope and love<br />
for family, friends, and planet. We recognize<br />
the enormity of the gift she has given us. n<br />
Highland Hosts “Through My<br />
Green Eyes” Exhibit to Honor Life,<br />
Vision of Finley Broaddus<br />
The Gallery at Highland School recently hosted<br />
an exhibit of artwork to celebrate the art and<br />
vision of Elizabeth Finley Broaddus ‘14 who<br />
succumbed to a rare form of liver cancer in June.<br />
A Highland student since fifth grade, Finley is<br />
remembered for her exuberance, passion, and<br />
kindness, in addition to her myriad accomplishments.<br />
Among other things, she played varsity tennis, acted<br />
in drama productions, and pursued a rigorous course<br />
of study, including AP Art. As a junior, she won the 5th<br />
Congressional District Art Contest with her colored<br />
pencil drawing “Church Steeple,” (shown above)<br />
based on a church near Vint Hill in Fauquier County.<br />
To learn more about Finley Broaddus, her art, and<br />
her Finley’s Green Leap Forward Fund, please visit<br />
www.facebook.com/FinleysGreenLeapForward.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 31
In the Spotlight<br />
32 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
In the Spotlight<br />
Originally Launched in 2004, Seniors<br />
and Kindergarten Buddies Have Become<br />
a Beloved Highland School Tradition<br />
“Getting these kids together… and keeping them connected all year long is incredibly<br />
beneficial to both groups,” says Head of School Hank Berg.<br />
As traditions go, this one is relatively new. But it’s very<br />
powerful. It’s the PK/Kindergarten and Senior Buddy<br />
pairings which started ten years ago.<br />
“It’s our way of connecting the whole school,” said Head<br />
of School Hank Berg. “Getting these kids together at the<br />
beginning of each school year, and keeping them connected<br />
all year long, is incredibly beneficial to both age groups.”<br />
Students are paired for the first time prior to Convocation<br />
each year. They eat lunch together, attend all school gatherings,<br />
do holiday craft activities, and the seniors attend the class plays<br />
of their younger buddies.<br />
“We hope to continue to add meeting times,” said Lower<br />
School Director Lise Hicklin, “to give our youngest and<br />
oldest students the chance to get together more during<br />
the school year.”<br />
This year the athletic department will get in the mix and<br />
offer a “buddy game” to provide a chance for the little ones<br />
to attend a varsity home game and be recognized by their<br />
senior buddy. “It’s a great way to get our youngest Hawks<br />
involved in athletics, and provides a personal cheering<br />
section for our athletes,” said Athletic Director Gary Leake.<br />
Kitson Marr ‘06 Reflects on Her Kindergarten Buddy<br />
“Highland is a special place for many reasons, but one of<br />
the most important aspects is its sense of community,” said<br />
Kitson Marr ‘06, a Highland “Lifer” and Senior Buddy to<br />
Blake Bogin ‘18. “The Senior/Kindergarten buddy tradition<br />
was special as it brought together opposite ends of the<br />
Highland community – those nearing the end of their<br />
time at Highland, and those who were just beginning<br />
their own journey.”<br />
winning our lacrosse game, of course! Blake and I spent<br />
time reading, doing arts and crafts, and getting to know<br />
each other. One of my favorite memories was making<br />
a reindeer ornament with popsicle sticks, glitter, a red<br />
pompom and lots of glue – the same ornament I made<br />
when I was in Kindergarten.”<br />
“After all these years, I still hang my reindeer ornament<br />
on the Christmas tree. I hope Blake’s ornament has become<br />
a holiday tradition for her as well!“<br />
Blake Bogin ‘18 Remembers Her Time with Kitson<br />
“The Senior/Kindergarten buddy program is one I will<br />
always remember. Meeting Kitson and getting to spend<br />
time with her at school was so important to me, reflected<br />
Blake Bogin ‘18, who is now a Highland freshman. “She was<br />
a role model and someone I could look up to. She was a<br />
Highland lifer, and now, I plan to be as well.“<br />
“I look forward to having my own Kindergarten buddy<br />
and providing her the same leadership and friendship that<br />
I enjoyed with Kitson so many years ago,” Blake continued.<br />
“It is such a great opportunity to gather both ends of<br />
the Highland community and share stories about those<br />
experiences. I hope it stays a tradition here for many more<br />
years to come.”<br />
“And I too, after all these years, have my reindeer ornament.<br />
When I see it during the holidays I remember all the fun we<br />
had putting it together in the old Chilton building!”<br />
“As a lifer at Highland, the Senior/Kindergarten buddy<br />
tradition was extra special to me,” Kitson continued.<br />
“Visiting my old classroom to meet with my Kindergarten<br />
buddy, Blake, was a highlight of the week – that and<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 33
In September, the senior class kicks off the field studies with a College<br />
Planning Night with parents. Then, the students head off to Front Royal<br />
to spend two days canoeing the south fork of the Shenandoah River and<br />
hiking in the Shenandoah National Park.<br />
34 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Feature Article<br />
A TRADITION OF<br />
EXPERIENTIAL<br />
EDUCATION<br />
AT <strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
Combining traditional classroom learning with real world ‘experiential learning’<br />
has long been the cornerstone of a Highland School education. Today, we look<br />
for ways to combine the concepts both on and off campus and across all divisions.<br />
Holding a blue crab straight from the water, while studying<br />
bay ecology on Freshman Field Studies. Palpating a cow<br />
during your Junior Internship in veterinary medicine.<br />
Debating the pros and cons of the foundation of Shenandoah<br />
National Park after back country camping and ascending<br />
Little Devil Stairs on Sophomore Field Studies. Taking your<br />
first all-class overnight trip to Jamestown to study a piece<br />
of Virginia’s history.<br />
Experiential Learning Happens<br />
On Campus as Well as Off Campus<br />
Through experiential education programs, including<br />
service learning, field studies, trips, Junior Internships,<br />
Senior Projects, and hands-on learning, Highland strives<br />
to enhance learning, promote character and leadership<br />
development, and build connections both within and<br />
beyond the confines of our school community.<br />
Reconstructing a Wright Brothers<br />
airplane design during your Senior<br />
Project. Conquering your fear<br />
of heights on the pamper pole at<br />
Camp Friendship. Getting UN-lost<br />
on the Metro while investigating<br />
historical and cultural aspect of DC’s<br />
urban community. Pulling all-nighters with your Robotics<br />
team members to perfect the lever mechanism on your<br />
competition robot.<br />
The reality is that students at Highland may experience<br />
many of these things during just the first few weeks of<br />
school each year. Highland School embraces the belief<br />
that traditional classroom learning must function in<br />
partnership with innovative methodologies designed<br />
to nurture the entire student.<br />
“I hear and I forget. I see<br />
and I remember. I do and<br />
I understand.”<br />
-Confucius<br />
In the second week of school, Middle<br />
School students head for the famed<br />
‘Camp Friendship’ near Richmond.<br />
“Camp Friendship gives us the unique<br />
opportunity to have our students truly<br />
experience the lessons that we talk about<br />
in the classrooms,” said Middle School<br />
Director Matt Ormiston. “They realize that the loudest<br />
voice often isn’t the one showing the most leadership. They<br />
come to understand how much both the faculty and their<br />
classmates support them and want them to succeed.”<br />
“They see up close and personal how important it is to<br />
work together, to step outside their comfort zones, and<br />
to struggle with something that they find challenging,”<br />
Ormiston continued. “My favorite moments of Camp<br />
Friendship are almost always hearing a child say ‘I did it’<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 35
At Camp Friendship, several teams worked together to move a rubber ball from<br />
one end of a volleyball court to the other side only a plastic ring and rope.<br />
“Camp Friendship gives us the unique opportunity to have our students truly<br />
experience the lessons that we talk about in the classroom… They come to<br />
understand how much both the faculty and their classmates support them<br />
and want them to succeed.”<br />
-Matt Ormiston, Middle School Director<br />
after having heard them say repeatedly ‘I can’t’ as they<br />
stand before some new obstacle or challenge.”<br />
In the Upper School, Learning<br />
Combines with Building Strong Bonds<br />
Freshmen depart on the second day of school so they can<br />
begin to form a class identity instead of seeing each other<br />
as a collection of students from different middle schools. In<br />
remote cabins on the Chesapeake Bay, removed from the<br />
distractions of schedules and cell phones, they get to know<br />
their classmates and core freshman teachers.<br />
“Although the focus of the trip is environmental science,<br />
a primary goal is to introduce these first year students<br />
to the expectations of Upper School,” said Upper School<br />
Director Cassin Bertke. “Freshmen return from this trip<br />
feeling more comfortable with their classmates and thus<br />
better able to focus on their studies. More than one has<br />
commented: ‘I no longer remember who is new versus who<br />
went to school with me last year. We’re one class now.’”<br />
Sophomores and juniors have smaller experiences in<br />
the fall, in anticipation of larger field studies programs<br />
in the spring. Sophomores attend a Wellness Retreat in<br />
which they learn about healthy decision-making and the<br />
importance of building trust with classmates and teachers.<br />
Excursions Both Near and Far<br />
Juniors enjoy an urban excursion in Washington, D.C.,<br />
exploring sights they will revisit in their study of American<br />
History during the course of the year.<br />
“Whereas freshmen are preparing to begin their high school<br />
journey, seniors are making plans for their next stage of life,”<br />
said Bertke. “We kick off Senior Field Studies with Senior<br />
College Planning Night in which Renee Norden, Highland’s<br />
College Counselor, describes the college search and<br />
application process to seniors and their parents.<br />
36 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
At Camp Friendship, Middle School students participate in ‘Color Wars’ which give the students<br />
a chance to tackle team challenges and, for the eighth graders, to try leadership roles.<br />
As part of the Color Wars at Camp Friendship, these 8th grade<br />
Blue team captains review the day’s challenges.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 37
In October, the senior class went to Shenandoah National Park for<br />
two days of hiking and canoeing. In this photo, half the senior class<br />
prepare for their hike along a segment of the Appalachian Trail.
Lower School students got a wonderful opportunity for hands-on<br />
learning at The Lego Expo as part of our Robotics program.<br />
Over the next two days, seniors enjoy a hike in Shenandoah<br />
Park and canoeing in the Shenandoah River. Seniors have<br />
opportunities to discuss their anxieties and to cement<br />
friendships that will help them navigate the joys and pitfalls<br />
of the year ahead. They return recognizing their role as<br />
leaders of Highland and thinking about the impact they want<br />
to make on Highland before they leave us at graduation.”<br />
“Field studies remind us that we learn best when we are<br />
willing to take risks and try new things, when we are in<br />
relationships with each other, and when we approach<br />
every opportunity with curiosity and an open mind,”<br />
Bertke continued. “There is plenty that can be learned<br />
in the classroom, but there is also much to be learned<br />
outside the walls of school.”<br />
In the Lower School, Students Take Field<br />
Trips and Find On-Campus Opportunities<br />
Lower School students can also expect to board a<br />
bus to travel to locations near and far to further their<br />
understanding of the community and world around them.<br />
Lower School Director Lise Hicklin offers, “Experiential<br />
education in practice are hands-on, authentic, and active<br />
learning experiences. Whether it’s Kindergarten’s trip to<br />
Rappahannock Park to study the changes of the seasons;<br />
First Grade agricultural experiences at Cox Farms; learning<br />
about tree growth and organic farming techniques at Oak<br />
Shade in Second Grade; visiting the birthplace of Robert<br />
E. Lee in Third Grade; or participating in a major rite of<br />
passage at Highland-the Fourth Grade overnight trip to<br />
Jamestown – students can expect to explore new places<br />
and add first-hand knowledge to classroom lessons.”<br />
Just a few steps from Lower School classrooms is the Village<br />
Garden and Outdoor Classroom. In this unique space,<br />
curricular and developmental goals direct the development<br />
of hands-on activities including studying the life cycle<br />
of plants, definitions of habitat, and soil health.<br />
STEAM Night, Maker Space Offer Unique<br />
Experiences to Our Youngest Students<br />
Additionally, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering,<br />
Art, and Math) activities are incorporated into grade-level<br />
and co-curricular programs. Family STEAM nights, which<br />
are new this year, are designed to give parents a better<br />
understanding of this educational framework, to promote<br />
functional literacy in our students, to give families a fun<br />
way to interact with each other while learning something<br />
new, and to help build our Highland community.<br />
“The Maker Space provides opportunities for<br />
all students to hone their design, conceptualizing,<br />
building, and trouble-shooting skills,” added Hicklin.<br />
“Programs and places like the Garden and Maker Space<br />
classroom, provide ideal environments for students to<br />
share what they know, explore new concepts, and create<br />
what they imagine.”<br />
The emphasis on experiential learning at Highland helps<br />
provide opportunities to reach different kinds of learners,<br />
to challenge students and faculty to leave their comfort<br />
zones, and to create unforgettable learning moments.<br />
Stepping beyond the walls of Highland gives teachers and<br />
students unique opportunities to add real-world relevance<br />
to classroom learning, to see each other with new<br />
perspective, and to connect the school experience to life<br />
beyond Highland. This important and unique feature of<br />
the Highland program strives to facilitate self-awareness<br />
and personal growth, the creation of healthy, productive<br />
relationships, and meaningful experiences that challenge<br />
and broaden perspectives of school, local, national, and<br />
global communities. n<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 39
Experiencin<br />
the Gal<br />
Last summer, a group of students and faculty visited the Gala´pagos<br />
Islands off the coast of Ecuador as part of Highland’s Experiential<br />
Education program. They hiked, snorkeled, played with wildlife,<br />
and immersed themselves in island culture.
g<br />
apagos<br />
Spotlight on Experiential Learning<br />
Two Highland Students Offer Their<br />
Reflections on a Once-in-a-Lifetime<br />
Opportunity to Visit the Gala´pagos<br />
Part One By Ann Collins ‘15<br />
Although our travel to the Galápagos Islands,<br />
which are located in the Pacific Ocean off the west<br />
of Ecuador, was one of the longest trips I’ve endured,<br />
knowing that we had finally arrived filled me with joy.<br />
Immediately, there was a very natural feeling. I do not<br />
mean in the generic way we use it today, but in the<br />
sense that we are much closer to the bare state of<br />
things, to true human nature.<br />
Totally Surrounded by Nature<br />
For breakfast, for example, we ate eggs that had been<br />
collected the day before and milk that was as fresh as<br />
that morning. Walking along the western side of the<br />
Andes mountains, I couldn’t help but catch my breath<br />
to see the clouds creeping slowly over the mountains,<br />
and the rivers racing them to the bottom.<br />
From our first immersion into the natural beauty<br />
of South America, we traveled by plane, bus, boat,<br />
and taxi to reach our hotel on Isla Isabela. To many,<br />
the amount of time spent traveling may seem like a<br />
burden, but it is irrelevant when you have the views to<br />
go alongside it.<br />
Feeling Right at Home in the Natural World<br />
Weaving in and out of the Galápagos Islands was<br />
truly an indescribable experience. Looking out at<br />
the horizon, I could easily see the remnants of the<br />
volcanoes that had created the amazing islands we<br />
would soon visit. Meanwhile, I could also look only a<br />
few feet away to see schools of fish glimmering just<br />
below the surface and dolphins showing off their<br />
jumps and spins not far beyond them.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 41
Experiencing<br />
the Galapagos<br />
Galapagos<br />
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands. The islands<br />
are part of Ecuador and are both a national park and a biological marine<br />
reserve. Accordingly, all wildlife and the environment they live in are<br />
protected, which creates a unique opportunity to get close to nature.<br />
Our writer, Ann Collins ‘15, poses with her brother Ivel Lee Collins ‘13 along<br />
a volcanic beach on Isabela Island looking out over the Pacific Ocean.
When we arrived at the hotel, I felt immediately at<br />
home, but once again in a natural sense. The open<br />
floor plan allowed for the warm air to flow freely and<br />
the sound of the ocean to echo softly down the halls.<br />
The owners were more than hospitable, making a buffet<br />
of fresh fruits and rolls every morning for breakfast.<br />
Everything about our housing was very intimate and<br />
welcoming, from the animal shaped towels on our beds<br />
to the fresh water set out every morning.<br />
Snorkeling Adds New Depth to Experience<br />
Now, of course, we did not fly halfway across the world,<br />
and experience every form of transportation, to spend<br />
time in the hotel. My most memorable experience<br />
was snorkeling in the inlet, just a mile or so from the<br />
town. Almost as soon as we entered the water, we were<br />
surrounded by fish of varying colors and sizes. The fish<br />
were curious to see the new creatures that had entered<br />
so suddenly into their habitat. Sea turtles were soon<br />
spotted gliding carelessly along the coral, seemingly<br />
indifferent to our approach.<br />
It was not the stunning plants or crystal clear waters<br />
that made this outing so memorable, however. Looking<br />
back toward the rest of the group, I immediately<br />
stopped swimming. To my surprise, a family of sea<br />
lions had taken Oliver and Ivel Lee in as their own. They<br />
swam in spirals, encircling the two, begging like small<br />
children for them to join in.<br />
This went on for several minutes as I watched in awe,<br />
culminating in one particularly friendly baby seal<br />
“bopping” (for lack of a better verb) Oliver on the<br />
face of his snorkeling mask. If a friendly nudge from<br />
a sea lion doesn’t fully express the closeness between<br />
humans and the other inhabitants of the islands,<br />
I don’t know what will.<br />
Truly at One with Nature<br />
That was likely the most surprising part of this<br />
trip. No animal, big or small, feared us. Both<br />
humans and creatures coexisted, feeding off of<br />
the same resources, in perfect harmony. It was very<br />
eye-opening to realize how different our relationship<br />
can be to the world around us, and I was somewhat<br />
ashamed of how it is back home. I know when I walk<br />
outside my door I will not find a family of lizards<br />
warming themselves on the rocks in my garden, but<br />
instead in a glass case at a zoo.<br />
Above all, I now want to protect this beautiful place and<br />
all those who inhabit it. For many, it is easy to not be<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 43
Experiencing<br />
the Galapagos<br />
interested in saving an environment so far away<br />
from where they call home. However, without such<br />
places like the Galápagos, we would be unable<br />
to experience some of the many organisms and<br />
breathtaking sceneries that we do today. As a result<br />
of my trip last summer, I want to protect the islands<br />
in the hopes that people after me can have the same<br />
unforgettable experience that I did, which I encourage<br />
you all to do if you ever get the opportunity.<br />
Part Two By Oliver Schwartz ‘15<br />
I have been lucky enough to have gone on a few<br />
exciting overseas trips with the Highland community<br />
and to have gone on many overseas vacations with<br />
my family. However, I have never been on an<br />
adventure that was as incredible as this one to the<br />
Galápagos. On any vacation, there is usually one<br />
moment that stands out…whether it is a breathtaking<br />
view, a visit to a certain building or museum, or simply<br />
an amazing dinner. On this trip, every moment was<br />
a moment to remember forever.<br />
“On any vacation, there<br />
is usually one moment that stands<br />
out… whether it is a breathtaking<br />
view, a visit to a certain building<br />
or museum, or simply an amazing<br />
dinner. On this trip, however,<br />
every moment was a moment<br />
to remember forever.“<br />
Off to the Galápagos Archipelago<br />
After our short stay in Ecuador, we flew to the<br />
Galápagos Archipelago, then hopped on a boat<br />
and eventually found ourselves on a dock leading<br />
onto Isabela Island. While we loaded the trucks with<br />
our suitcases, we had our first encounter with the<br />
Galápagos wildlife. Laying there in the middle of the<br />
road was a beautiful, orange, massive iguana. Not far<br />
from him was a sea lion sunning himself next<br />
to some local fishermen.<br />
As the trip continued, wildlife was abundant at every<br />
turn. Whether we were climbing up volcanoes, walking<br />
on volcanic islands, or snorkeling, there were always<br />
marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, and sea lions<br />
to accompany us. Every night, a handful of us would<br />
venture out onto the beach in the dark and climb over<br />
the rocks with flashlights to look at the abundance of life<br />
that could be found in the tidal pools. To our delight, we<br />
found a plethora of crabs, octopi, and even an eel.<br />
Where Else Can You Play with Sea Lions?<br />
Our days were spent hiking, boating, and most exciting<br />
of all, snorkeling. I have never had an experience quite<br />
like swimming with sea lions before, and I can only<br />
hope that one day I have the opportunity to do it again.<br />
As we slowly swam out into the bay with our flippers<br />
and snorkels, we started to notice fleeting shadows<br />
dancing around us in the water.<br />
At first, I thought they were simply large fish, until<br />
a small furry face popped up out of nowhere just a<br />
few inches away from my mask. What happened next<br />
can only be described as cartoon-like…the sea lion<br />
“kissed” my mask.<br />
I was taken completely by surprise and my startled<br />
reaction scared the figurative pants off of that poor sea<br />
lion. After I realized what had happened, I immediately<br />
swam over to Ivel Lee Collins ‘13 who was almost as<br />
excited as I was about what had just happened.<br />
For the next hour, Ivel Lee and I swam with the sea<br />
lions in what I must say was one of the most amazing<br />
experiences of my life. Wild and free, they glided<br />
effortlessly through the water, only to look back<br />
to make sure we were following them.<br />
Life in a Wildlife Sanctuary<br />
I never thought that a wild animal would act in such a<br />
playful way toward a human, but in that moment the true<br />
beauty of the Galápagos as a whole is easily seen. The<br />
entire archipelago is a sanctuary for all types of wildlife<br />
and because there is so much regulation and respect for<br />
the environment, animals aren’t afraid of people.<br />
The iguanas don’t run, the sea lions just want to play,<br />
and even the birds were too busy eating their fruits to<br />
be bothered by the proximity of humans. For anyone<br />
who is even remotely fascinated by wildlife (can you tell<br />
that I am?), there is no better place to view and interact<br />
with it than in the Galápagos and we were lucky enough<br />
that this trip gave us the opportunity to do just that.<br />
If you want a once in a lifetime chance to see a whole<br />
different world, this trip is for you and all I can say is<br />
I can’t wait to do it again next summer. n<br />
44 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Our writers Oliver Schwartz’15 and Ann Collins ‘15, at left, join<br />
Ivel Lee Collins ‘13, Parker Collins ‘15, Alie Brill ‘16, Robert Angelotti ‘16,<br />
Lewis Pollard, and Highland faculty member Jon Kraut for a photo.<br />
Are you ready to experience island life for yorself?<br />
We will be returning to the Galápagos Islands in the summer<br />
of 2015. To learn more, please contact Leslie Ziegler<br />
via email to lziegler@highlandschool.org
News & Notes from Highland Alumni<br />
Alumni News & Notes<br />
Laura Gargagliano Bartee, 8th ‘95 Laura graduated<br />
from Highland as an 8th grader in 1995. She later went on to<br />
attend Fauquier High School and then Virginia Tech. Laura<br />
graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Architecture<br />
in 2004. She married Luke Bartee of Virginia Beach in 2009<br />
and they had their first daughter Maddie Rose in 2012.<br />
Laura became a licensed Architect in 2012 and<br />
started her own firm, LLB Design (you can learn more<br />
at gargaglianobartee.com), that specializes in custom<br />
residential and small commercial projects in Northern<br />
Virginia. Luke and Laura recently bought a horse farm<br />
in Fauquier County and are restoring the 1920 farmhouse<br />
and stable.<br />
Victoria Hall ‘13 Victoria was recently accepted into<br />
a summer science program at Yale University in New<br />
Haven, Connecticut. In this program, Victoria received<br />
a stipend to do research and work on a project in the<br />
neuroscience department as part of the Yale Early Social<br />
Cognition Lab (YESCog). YESCog is a part of the Infant<br />
& Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic and the<br />
Yale Autism Program.<br />
Grayson Louise Ayres Ross<br />
Tyler Ross ‘98 “Here is a picture of Grayson Louise Ayres<br />
Ross, our little girl, who was born on September 8, 2014.<br />
Both Grayson and my wife, Sarah, are doing great and we’re<br />
enjoying our time with our new baby.”<br />
“I recently moved my company, Ross Real Estate, to an office<br />
in Old Town Warrenton. We are located on Culpeper Street<br />
and offer a full range of real estate services to residential and<br />
commercial buyers and sellers.”<br />
Nick White ‘07 Nick graduated from Highland School in<br />
2007 and graduated from the University of North Carolina<br />
in Chapel Hill in 2012. He majored in Philosophy and<br />
minored in Business and now resides in Liberty, North<br />
Carolina where he is working with his father to start a<br />
cattle farming operation.<br />
Stay Up-to-Date with Classmates<br />
Want to stay up-to-date with classmates and<br />
friends? Send along your story and photos to<br />
bbogin@highlandschool.org and we’ll do<br />
our best to include it in an upcoming issue.<br />
Connect with alumni and friends at<br />
facebook.com/HighlandSchool<br />
Save the Date for the Alumni Reunion:<br />
Saturday, May 30, 2015. Check out the<br />
Highland School website for more details!<br />
46 Highland Magazine highlandschool.org
Picture Puzzle<br />
EASY MODERATE DIFFICULT<br />
In October, students gathered in the Lise Hicklin Black Box Theater in the Center for the Arts for<br />
their monthly Coffee House performance. Can you find the 12 differences between these two images?<br />
The original image is on the top. The modified image is on the bottom. For the answers, visit<br />
www.highlandschool.org/picturepuzzle.<br />
Fall 2014 Highland Magazine 47
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong><br />
SCHOOL<br />
<strong>HIGHLAND</strong> SCHOOL<br />
597 Broadview Avenue<br />
Warrenton, VA 20186<br />
Non-Profit<br />
Organization<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
PAID<br />
Warrenton, VA<br />
Permit No. 96<br />
Go Gold!<br />
At Highland School, Blue and Gold is a tradition that has carried on as long as anyone can remember. Part athletic<br />
and academic competition, part leadership opportunity, and all fun for students and faculty alike, Blue and Gold connects<br />
students from the Lower and Middle Schools like no other Highland tradition. In this picture, Gold team members showed<br />
their spirit in the Upper School Gym at the Spirit Week Pep Rally in October. Read more about Blue and Gold on page 22.