Thistletalk Summer 2010 - Winchester Thurston School

WinchesterThurstonSchool555 Morewood AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15213www.winchesterthurston.orgNonprofit Org.U.S. PostageP A I DPittsburgh, PAPermit No. 145ThistleTALKSELF PORTRAITStudents in Mary Martin’s sixthgrade visual arts course exploredtheir unique identities whilestudying the work of RomareBearden and other contemporarycollage and photomontage artists.Through a self portrait project,each student interpreted his or herpersonality, values, and aspirations.In this piece, Erin Frohlich ’16expresses herself as a passionatelearner through her use of variousschool references, while alsoemphasizing her love for theoutdoors by incorporating imagesand colors that relate to herenvironment.ExponentialEquationTaking Math Studentsto New HeightsMATHCOUNTS ® TeamWins State Championship, p. 4in this issue:Commencement 2010Shakespeare Takes Center StageWomen’s History MonthW i n c h e s t e r T h u r s t o n S c h o o l S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

contentsRigor, Authenticity, Immersion:The New Meaning ofAcademic ExcellenceFROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Gary J. Niels 2Head’s Year in Review 3COVER STORY:Exponential Equation:Problem-Centered Math Curriculum TakesWT Math Students to New Heights 415DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNAE/I NEWS:Young Alum Scholarship Fund 2121State Champs4FEATURES:WT CelebratesWomen’s History Month 8Commencement 2010 9Reunion All Year Long 22Beverlee Simboli McFadden ’55and the Miss Mitchell Society 24Nancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37In Memoriam 25Class Notes 26WT TODAY:SCHOOL NEWS WT Orchestra In Full Swing…Shakespeare Students Take Center Stage…North Newshounds…Winter/Spring Highlights…Sports Roundup…Parents Association…Faculty Highlights12w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g 1

Rigor, Authenticity, Immersion:The New Meaning ofAcademic ExcellenceGary J. NielsThere is a Rabbinical saying, “Don'tlimit a child to your own learning,for he was born in another time."When we first assembled WT’sAdvisory Board, a group of Pittsburghluminaries, we were interested in learningfrom their futurist thinking. Yet, few ofthese bright, insightful, and informedleaders could be certain about what theworld or the region might look like in2020. They were, however, certain aboutone thing: At the end of their schooling,the students at Winchester Thurstonwill be entering a world that is complexand changing rapidly. “We are preparingstudents for an unscripted world,” wasthe simple wisdom of our AdvisoryBoard.Our nation’s K-12 school systemis a highly scripted and “factory-like”institution with a prototype curriculumthat arranges knowledge into neatdisciplinary packages, and ordersinformation for broad disseminationand efficient digestion. The culminationof this system is the standardized statetest, which forms the ultimate measureof educational success or failure. Todaythe quality of a public school system ismeasured largely by the performance ofits students on these state tests.As we look to the future, expertssay, today ’s students will need tobe able to solve complex problemsinventively, communicate globallywith confidence and ease, and work inteams collaboratively. Consequently,the meaning of “academic excellence” ischanging. Today schools must ensure thatthey are preparing students for a worldthat demands imaginative, innovative,and entrepreneurial minds. Young peopleneed the tools of research and analysis;they must know what it means to thinkin the world: the Galapagos Islands.One-third of the sixth grade and onethirdof the seventh grade classes will beenrolled in Mandarin next year—theyare preparing themselves to lead andthrive in a global society by embracingthis completely different language andculture. Finally, WT’s commitment toinnovation and a dynamic and rigorouslearning environment can be seen in the“The meaning of ‘academic excellence’ ischanging. Today schools must ensure that theyare preparing students for a world that demandsimaginative, innovative, and entrepreneurialminds....”critically, find creative solutions, andapply knowledge. They need classroomsthat open their imaginations, and toexplore their own intellectual interestsin depth and with discipline.With its mission “to actively engagestudents in a learning process that ischallenging and inspiring,” WinchesterThurston is graduating the kind ofinnovative thinkers who embody thequalities that will enable them to be theentrepreneurs we so desperately need forour future.This year at WT one of our studentsdid a senior project entitled “Placing aSpotlight on Our Grid: The Importanceof a Smart Grid in the 21st Century.”His research culminated a multi-yearintellectual journey that emerged fromhis personal interest in environmentalissues. His passion led to in-depth pursuitof a topic that few have studied, and heis now engaged in sharing his researchand learning with others outside of ourcommunity. This summer 10 MiddleSchool students are doing scientificresearch in one of the richest ecosystemsnearly 100 City as Our Campus programsand initiatives under way or taking shapein the Upper School; approximately 40 inthe Middle School; and nearly 100 in thetwo Lower Schools combined.By marrying our mission of activeengagement with the context of ourunique locations, WT creates a learningenvironment that is not only rigorous,but authentic, immersing students inthe world around them, helping themto create knowledge as well as absorb it.Over the last couple of years, WThas emerged as a leader in the nationalindependent school landscape—asa school that embraces the conceptof preparing its students for anunscripted future and for leading theway in redefining academic excellence.In doing so we are not limiting ourstudents’ learning to the world that weadults understand and encounter, butexpanding their potential to learn andcontribute to a world of the future time.2 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

Head’sYear in Review2009-2010G a r y N i e l s ’s e i g h t h y e a r a sWinchester Thurston’s Head ofSchool was marked by celebration ofnational recognition, reaching out toalums and parents, and continuingto pursue innovation and excellence.A few highlights…July 2009....Installed as President ofPittsburgh Consortium of IndependentSchools (PCIS), works to develop closer collaborationbetween PCIS and Pittsburgh AreaIndependent School Teachers Association(PAISTA) as well as PCIS and PennsylvaniaAssociation of Independent Schools (PAIS);convenes discussions on PCIS’s potentialleadership in promoting diversity awareness inPittsburgh; and facilitates strategic leadershipdiscussions among PCIS school Heads.August 2009....Welcomes back faculty,students, and parents and shares the news ofWT’s national recognition as one of only fourrecipients of a 2009 E.E. Ford EducationalLeadership Grant. Enthusiastically sharesWT’s distinguished history with new faculty.September 2009....With Parents AssociationPresident Deesha Philyaw and Directorof Annual Giving Dionne Brelsford, formsParents Advisory Council, parent leaderswho meet with Niels several times a year asa representative sounding board providinginsight on school matters.October 2009....Travels to Boston for analum gathering at the home of Kathy ZilwegerPutnam ’71 and her husband, George…Participates in Young Alumnae/i LeadershipCouncil meeting, gathering input on waysto communicate the good news about WTin the broader community of Pittsburgh’syoung professionals…Mingles with parents,faculty, and students at Applefest at North…At Reunion, celebrates the Class of 1959 asthey observe their 50th reunion, welcomes allat the annual cocktail party and student/alumfield hockey game…Cheers on the VarsityField Hockey team as they enter the WPIALplayoffs for the first time since 2006.November 2009....Joins proud parents andfaculty members for the captivating MiddleSchool production of HONK: The Musical.December 2009....Enthusiastically acceptsone of the most coveted invitations at WT:to read to the Pre-K class!...Convenes the WTAdvisory Board in an intensive session aboutCity as Our Campus opportunities.January 2010....Along with faculty andstudents, participates in production of a videoon City as Our Campus for the Edward E. FordFoundation website…Working with BoardPresident Henry Posner III,convenes the annual Boardof Trustees Retreat.F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0 . . . .Presents a workshop forother independent schoolleaders at the NationalAssociation of IndependentSchools conference in SanFrancisco, joined by headsof three other 2009 E.E. FordLeadership Grant schools:William Clarkson of TheWestminster Schools, JamesKapae’alii Scott of PunahouSchool, and Tom Gilderof Windward School. Visits with alums at areception in San Francisco…Cheers on theBoys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams asboth enter league playoffs.March 2010....Congratulates newly acceptedfamilies at an accepted students reception,and shares the latest good news at WT.April 2010....Joins in a pep rally to congratulatethe Middle School MATHCOUNTS ® team ontheir state championship…Visits with alums at aGrease “reunion” before this year’s Upper SchoolMusical…Tours the faculty art show, By Example.May 2010....Cheers on the Varsity BoysLacrosse team in the league playoffs, andattends many Varsity Girls Lacrosse games tocheer on his wife, Elizabeth, the team coach.Celebrates the many accomplishments ofstudents and faculty at Upper School ClassDay, Middle School Awards Ceremony, LowerSchool Evenings of the Arts, Middle andUpper School Dance Show.June 2010....Welcomes another class of WTstudents into the alumnae/i community atthe 123rd Commencement exercises.Winchester Thurston SchoolBOARD OFTRUSTEES2010-2011Henry Posner III, PresidentRalph L. Bangs, Vice PresidentKathleen W. Buechel, Vice PresidentStephen G. Robinson, Vice PresidentDouglas A. Campbell, TreasurerElizabeth S. Hurtt , 74, Assistant TreasurerDusty Elias Kirk, SecretaryGary J. Niels, Head of SchoolDeborah L. Acklin ’80Ronald J. BartlettBarbara Abney Bolger ’52John B. Christie-SearlesSimin Yazdgerdi CurtisIlana DiamondRobert I. GlimcherRosanne Isay Harrison ’56 ◊Diane P. HolderIan JamesDeepak KotwalElsa LimbachSteve LoevnerCarole Oswald Markus ’57 ◊Linnea Pearson McQuiston ’69Kathleen L. Metinko ’91Douglas H. OstrowDeesha PhilyawDavid L. PorgesMartin E. PowellSusan Santa Cruz ’60Nancy T. ScottStephen B. ThomasJane Arensberg Thompson ’57 ◊◊Emeritus Trusteew w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g3

cover storyBe h i n d t h e M AT H C O U N T S®achievements lie years of commitmentto continuously strengthen a curricularand extracurricular mathematics programthat inspires and challenges all math students.Collective success not only led to a statechampionship, it has also drawn a cohort ofsome of the brightest math students in thearea, and fostered a learning environment inwhich more students than ever are embracingthe challenges of higher level math:STATE CHAMPS! (L to R) Daniel Balter ’14, Cameron Barge ’14,Tristan Hull ’14, and Sonu Bae ’14, 2009-2010 MATHCOUNTS ® Team• Enrollment in AP calculus at WT hasincreased from 19 students in 2002-2003to more than 50 projected in 2010-2011.• Since the 2002-2003 school year, 76%of WT students taking AP CalculusAB and 100% taking AP Calculus BChave scored a 3 or higher on the APexam, qualifying them to receive collegecredit. Nationally, in 2008-2009, 59%of students who took AP Calculus ABscored a 3 or higher, and 80% who tookAP Calculus BC scored a 3 or higher.Problem-Centered Curriculum TakesWT Math Students to New HeightsWinning the Pennsylvania MATHCOUNTS ® state championship has longbeen a goal of the Middle School MATHCOUNTS ® team, and this yearthey prevailed! In March, eighth graders Sonu Bae, Daniel Balter, CameronBarge, and Tristan Hull won out over 72 Pennsylvania teams, returning home fromHarrisburg with the championship trophy. In true WT spiritof respect for and celebration of achievement, the team wascongratulated with vigor by Head of School Gary J. Nielsand the entire Middle School community at a festive peprally in Falk Auditorium just after spring break.In addition to the team’s overall win, Daniel medaledas a top 10 contender in Pennsylvania, and MiddleSchool teacher Heather Crowley was named to coachthe Pennsylvania team at the national MATHCOUNTS ®championship in Orlando, Florida, in May. There, her teamcame in 10th out of 52 teams, and Crowley was recognizedas one of the outstanding coaches at the event.4 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0“ We’re very proud of thisteam. Not only do theycompete at the highestlevel and consistentlylead the way regionallyand nationally, but theydemonstrate WT’s focuson embracing challengewith determination.”• Last fall, WT became one of twoPennsylvania schools named to theDistinguished Schools Honor Rollfor performance in the AmericanMathematics Competition, level 8(AMC8), a national test that coversgeometry, algebra, probability, logicalreasoning, arithmetic, and more. Thisis the highest level of recognitionthat a school can achieve. 2,372schools participated in the AMC8 inthe fall of 2009, 80 in Pennsylvania.— Gary J. Niels

The mathematics department boasts afaculty whose knowledge and dedicationare inspiring. Department Chair StephenMiller, a statistician, has worked in theprivate sector and taught at the universitylevel in addition to 14 years teaching inindependent schools; since his arrivalat WT two years ago, he has broadenedthe Upper School math curriculum tochallenge students at all levels. Millerhas edited several widely used statisticstexts and serves as an editorial reviewerfor Mathematics Teacher, a professionaljournal published by the National Councilon Teaching Mathematics (NCTM). Thisyear, he presented a paper at the NCTMconference in San Francisco, entitled“Pure mathematics is beautiful and elegant, and WT hasgifted math students who immerse themselves in it.”“Shape Changing Transformations:Hands-on Activities that DemonstrateLinearization in Regression Modeling,” andhe was recently appointed to the AmericanStatistics Association’s Committee onOutreach Education.Miller notes: “Pure mathematics isbeautiful and elegant, and we have giftedmath students at WT who immersethemselves in it.” In Lower School, theAcademic Enrichment and Challenge(AEC) program provides instruction inmathematics for students in grades 2through 5 who have mastered grade levelcurricula and are ready for acceleration.Instruction is tailored to each student’sneeds, and some have moved into algebraand geometry in Lower School andprecalculus and calculus in Middle School;new students with high math abilityhave been drawn to WT because of thisthoughtful, comprehensive approach.A s a r e s u l t , m o r e s t u d e n t sare completing the standard collegepreparatory math sequence of Algebra,Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus AB, andCalculus BC before they finish UpperSchool. The department offers a robustarray of electives, including AP Statisticsand Mathematical Models for Decision— Stephen MillerMaking, and is exploring developmentof a course in multivariable calculusa n d l i n e a r a l g e b r a f o rstudents who complete bothcalculus courses before theirsenior year.Aligned with the missionto engage every student, WTprovides opportunities forall students to advance theirstudies. Miller comments,“In the past, advancementdepended upon an extraordinarylevel of ability and apassion for pure mathematics.Today, because of advances intechnology, more students cango much farther.”A few years ago, in atypical Algebra 2 class onlinear models you would have seen studentsseated at desks, absorbed in solitude,plotting numbers from columns in theirtextbooks on two-dimensional graphs, andcomparing slopes. Today, Michael Davidsonteaches his students the same lessonsthrough live action and intriguing uses oftechnology that bring the two-dimensionaldata to life. Rather than transferringnumbers from table to graph, studentsmight use a motion sensor to collect thespeed and distance of a classmate as shewalks across the room. The sensor feedsthe data to a graphing calculator, whichgenerates a graph and projects it on awhite board. The students analyze the dataand, as their subject changes the speedand distance of her movements, they seethe graph change instantly and can morequickly understand the data’s impact ona slope.As students’ understanding grows,they can use the technology to capture andanalyze more complex data; for example,they might use the sensor to measureheight and acceleration as a pillow fallsto the floor, which results in a curve beingplotted on the graph.Davidson's students also use computeraided drawing tools like Geometer’sSketchpad to experiment with interactiveshapes and graphs, allowing them to tapinto the visual nature of mathematics.“This type of experiential learning helpsstudents discover and remember themathematical relationships aroundthem,” says Davidson, who is knownas the department’s technology guru.“Technology tools bring math out of theabstract. Students can see what they aredoing and better articulate and evaluate it.”w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g5

The Power of “Why?”Articulating the abstract requiresunderstanding, which requires thinking andproblem solving. From Pre-Kindergartenthrough grade 12, “we strike a balancebetween skills development and problembasedlearning,” says Miller. “The LowerSchool curriculum is more traditional,so when the students enter sixth grade,“ I feel especially proud ofthe success of girls in mathat WT.” — David Hallasthey have a strong skills base. They’vealso had some exposure to problem-basedlearning, as we supplement our traditionalcurriculum with other materials.”The Middle School uses MichiganState University’s Connected Mathematics,widely respected as a “problem-centered”curriculum in which students engage in“thinking, planning, reasoning, computing,and evaluating,” rather than memorizingdefinitions and practicing computations.Megan Presnar, who teaches math inboth Middle and Upper Schools says,“Connected Math is wonderful because itallows students to see the math conceptsthey are learning applied in many differentsubjects and situations. This showsstudents that math is present in manyaspects of our lives.”In the Upper School, according tomath teacher David Hallas, coursework “isrich in applications and problem solving.”He sums it up: “Kids who come throughWT expect to have to think in math class.”On the WT faculty for 11 years, Hallashas taught math for nearly four decades.He was part of a committee that evaluatedConnected Math for Michigan State whenthe curriculum was in development, andserved as a test question editor for theACT standardized college entrance exam.In 2003, Hallas won the prestigious EdithMae Sliffe Award from the MathematicalAssociation of America for "distinguishedjunior high school mathematics teaching."With a p a ssion for fosteringwithin students the confidence to beproblem solvers and critical thinkers, hehas spearheaded numerous curricularinitiatives and enrichment opportunities.His convictions are echoed in the NCTMGuiding Principles, which state: “Studentsshould have frequent opportunities toformulate, grapple with, and solve complexproblems that require a significant amountof effort.” Hallas calls this approach “gettingstuck,” then applying knowledge and skillto “get unstuck.”Heather Crowley, who has taughtmath in the Middle School for 14 years,is known for her high standards andunswerving dedication to her students;she was the recipient of the 2009 JaneScarborough Award for Excellence inTeaching, WT’s highest faculty accolade.She says, “Our approach is to base ourinstruction in the question, ‘Why?’ Whydoes something work? The students mustalways have a proof behind their answers,must be able to articulate and evaluatetheir processes in solving a problem.”This approach builds knowledge,confidence, and tenacity. “By and large, ourstudents won’t give up on a problem,” saysMiller. “They work really hard, and theyunderstand that math is not about beinggiven a rule so they can apply it, but beinggiven a problem so they can figure thingsout. These are the kinds of thinkers we aredeveloping at WT.”“Experience and hard work lead tosuccess,” Crowley adds. “That’s a life lessonembedded in our teaching practice and inour math curriculum. Our students absorbthat lesson over the years. It’s somethingthey take with them when they graduateand it will be critically important to themno matter where they go or what they doin their lives.”A problem-based approach can bechallenging for some students, because,according to Davidson, “Applied problemshave greater dimension, and are a lot morecomplex.” Colleague Denise Pollack, whoteaches in the Middle School, adds, “Wehave to teach our students a problemsolving mindset, especially if they comehere from other schools where they maybe used to a more formulaic approach.”A problem-based approach can alsoguide students to higher levels of mastery.“In the past, many students would get lostin the detail of lower level mathematical6 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

“ The mathematician IanStewart writes that thehidden tendrils ofmathematics pervadeevery aspect of modernlife. I would like to useapplications of mathematicsto make our modern lifebetter.” — Helen Bunker ’10operations. There wasn’t time to movebeyond this minutia to more complexmath, and in some cases, you lost studentswho had the potential to go far becausethey simply did not get excited aboutrote learning,” Hallas adds. “Now, becausethey’ve learned the basics and developeda problem solving mindset, and becausewe help them move more quickly to theconceptual, more of our students are ableto learn more advanced math.”He continues, “Our brightest mathstudents are doubling up in geometry andalgebra, or statistics and precalculus, andinterest in calculus is growing year by year.AP calculus has grown to a projected 55students next year, many of whom wouldnot have made it this far 10 years ago.I feel especially proud of the success of girlsin math at WT. Some of our best studentsare young women.”One of these young women, HelenBunker ’10, heads off to study chemicalengineering at Carnegie Mellon in thefall. She expresses unlimited enthusiasmfor math: “Math is the ultimate universallanguage. People all over the world canderive the same formulas using similarlogical steps. There is something incredibleabout the fact that mathematical truthshave not really been invented by differentmathematicians, but have been discoveredby seeing patterns in a jumble of numbers.It makes me wonder what else is out there,just waiting to be brought to light.”Reflecting on her experience at WT,she says, “Many of the courses at WT arebased on problem-solving labs rather thanthe more common ‘chalk and talk’ method ofteaching mathematics. Our teachers’ focuson exploration rather than memorizationmakes WT’s math classes engaging andinformative.”Why It MattersNCTM advocates: “A solid mathematicseducation is essential for an informed public,our national security, a strong economy,and national well-being.” Helen Bunker’seducation and career aspirations, whichbring together a multitude of disciplines,are reflected in this statement. She says,“The mathematician Ian Stewart writesthat the hidden tendrils of mathematicspervade every aspect of modern life. I wouldlike to use applications of mathematics tomake our modern life better…. Our futurelies in research and development and mylab work in chemistry and physics laid theground work for my interest. Delving intointernational and public policy issues inmy history classes also contributed to myunderstanding of the global impact of ourenergy decisions and my desire to make thenext bold step.”Math Enrichment:Expanding HorizonsRecognizing WT’s commitment tomathematics, an anonymous donor cameforward in 2007 and again in 2008, withmajor gifts to infuse energy into mathenrichment programs at WT. Crowleyand Hallas responded by expandingMATHCOUNTS ® in the Middle School,offering a twice weekly elective open toall Middle School students. The courseprovides year-long math enrichment andproblem solving experience, beginning withintensive focus on skill development andprogressing into practice for competition.Students wishing to compete commit torigorous MATHCOUNTS ® practice afterschool, where they are further challengedby math problems with a high degreeof difficulty. Approximately 20 studentsparticipate in the MATHCOUNTS ®elective; visibility and enthusiasm havebeen heightened with sweatshirts, banners,and a “Problem of the Week” contest forall students throughout the year.As the home of Western Pennsylvania’schapter of American Regions MathematicsLeague (ARML ), WT is known as the placeto be for students interested in achievingand competing in math. Most weekends,dedicated Middle and Upper Schoolstudents from WT and other private andpublic schools gather with coach Hallasand WT parent Mor Balter to prepare forARML regional and state competitions.All WT Upper School students may alsoparticipate in a mathematics team advisedby teacher Michael Davidson, whichis designed to offer more experiencesolving problems and competing at localcompetitions.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g7

feature storyCynthia Pearson Turich ’65 and Jessie Block ’12,In Sisterhood panelistsWT CELEBRATESWomen’s History Month“Pittsburgh has a long history of producing influentialleaders,” says Patricia Ulbrich, PhD., a sociologist andvisiting scholar in women’s studies at the University ofPittsburgh. “What people don’t know is that Pittsburghwas also home to influential leaders of the women’smovement and to pioneering feminist organizations inthe latter part of the 1900s.” Through In Sisterhood,an oral history multimedia project, Ulbrich set out “towrite these activists into regional history, and…do itin their voices.”In March, to mark and celebrate Women’s History Month,English teacher Muriel Alim brought this mesmerizing series ofphotographs, video, posters and other memorabilia to the UpperSchool. In Sisterhood brought to life the accomplishments andinterlocking histories of “this extraordinary array of leaders”with awe-inspiring immediacy. Profiles included PittsburghersEleanor Smeal, Wilma Scott Heide, and Molly Yard, past NOWpresidents; Plowshares Eight member Molly Rush, whosenonviolent protest of nuclear weapons made headlines andhistory; and former Pennsylvania state treasurer and auditorgeneral Barbara Hafer, once dismissed as “a little nurse fromElizabeth.” Also highlighted were Alma Speed Fox and BrendaFrazier, each of whom has strong ties to WT. Fox is Alim’smother, as well as the aunt of first grade teacher Theresa Fox.Frazier is a WT grandmother and mother-in-law of MiddleSchool Director Holly Hatcher-Frazier.Women’s Views, Voices and WTDialogue was an important aspect of the celebration; to thatend, an intergenerational panel discussion, “The Evolution ofFeminism and the Women’s Movement,” presented a rangeof experiences and perspectives from Ulbrich along withJessie Block ’12, Cynthia Pearson ’65, La’Tasha Mayes of NewVoices Pittsburgh, Cynthia Vanda, In Sisterhood subject, andmoderator, WT Parent Deesha Philyaw.“These strong women made me feel such a connection to…who I am, and the spread of information leads to open minds,which is what I love to see at WT. In all, by embracing thediversity in others, it makes it easier to be you and understandpeople better,” says Jessie. “I hope I can contribute a younger,more modern perspective of what feminism/equalism is today,and the experiences I've had growing up around...the strongwomen in my life.”“There was not yet a modern women's movement whenI was at WT,” recounts Pearson, who entered WT in 1957and graduated in 1965. “By the time Betty Friedan's TheFeminine Mystique came out in 1963, my mother had alreadystarted grad school, a radical thing for a 53-year-old suburbanmother of five to do, so I guess you could say that for me thewomen's movement started at home. And at WT I enjoyedan environment in which all roles—officer, poet, scholar, jock,journalist, performer, yearbook editor, event planner, you nameit—were filled by females…So in a lot of ways, by the timeFriedan helped start the National Organization for Women in1966, I was thinking, ‘What took them so long?’”Pearson adds, “It's my hope that those who are growing upfree of the constraints of the past will look back at the progressthat's been made, and look ahead to what more can be done toprotect and ensure women's rights to security and freedom.”“It’s important for young people to understand the barriersthat women faced…and the actions that were taken to removethose barriers, to understand that the opportunities they havetoday are the result of concerted actions and determination,”declares Ulbrich. “They need to understand the roots of thoseadvantages and not take them for granted. I want them to knowthe history, and to know that while changes have been made,some of those changes have already been reversed! Change isn’tpermanent—it’s a process.”8 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

Top: The Class of 2010 at WT’s 123rd Commencement on June 6.Above, top left: (clockwise, from left) Speaker Aradhna Dhanda, President andCEO of Leadership Pittsburgh; Kurt Twyman ’10; WT Board President HenryPosner III; Head of School Gary J. Niels; and Ambika Ramesh ’10Above, top right: (left to right) Nathan Ong ’10 and Helen Bunker ’10are congratulated by Ari Schuman ’11Bottom right: (left to right) Isabel Zehner, Ambika Ramesh, Kathryn Varnay,Alaina Ferry, and Rosaleen Mahorterw w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g9

ON POSSIBILITYMany people in our society believe that an era ofendless possibilities and opportunity is giving way toan age of constraints and limits. An America raisedon the promise of boundlessness suddenly findsitself confronting a world of boundaries…and whatlooms ahead is an era of diminished expectations.To which I can only say, nonsense. There havealways been limits and boundaries in this world…[We] are not powerless. Rather, in this new period inour history, we are simply being asked to set asidesome old beliefs that no longer serve us.— Aradhna DhandaChallenge. Possibility.Leadership. Community.These themes resonated through the Twentieth Century Clubon June 6 as the WT community celebrated the Class of 2010at the school’s 123rd Commencement exercises. Joining thestudent speakers at the podium was this year’s Commencementspeaker, Aradhna Dhanda, President and CEO of LeadershipPittsburgh Inc., and a member of WT’s Advisory Board. Excerptsfrom Dhanda’s address, as well as the students’ speeches, follow.ON CHALLENGEIn the age just passed, we could believe that problems existedin isolation…We could pretend that the economy and theenvironment were separate, that our economy was insulated fromwhat happened in other countries, that saddling future generationswith the financial and ecological costs of our actions could go onforever, that failing to educate millions of our own children wassomeone else’s problem…Increasingly, our task is to appreciatehow connected we all are—to each other, and to the planet—andto devise solutions that embrace the complexity of the world inwhich we now live. It is because this so obviously requires us towork together that some in our society see it as a diminishment ofour power. I see it as the maturation of our power.— Aradhna Dhanda… When you step…into the bigger spectrum of college life, mostlikely you will meet people who do not value your individuality…But if I have truly learned any life lessons from my experiencesat WT, it would be that courage is best shown through stayingtrue to one’s beliefs and ideas about the world…When we leavethe comforting environment of WT and cross into the unknown,mysterious abyss of college, our courage will be put to the test…The best answer is to stay true to yourself. It was through WT thatI was able to find the courage to be myself.— Khalipha Misawa ‘10…We have our Macs, iPods, Facebook, and Skype;but we also have a determination, will, and hopethat we can do anything…Yes we were labeled asthe technology generation but remember we arealso the generation of “YES WE CAN.” For we canand will accomplish whatever it is we choose to do,because for us the sky is the limit.— Jimyse Brown ‘10Being in this class has challenged me. Their success has forcedme to push myself more and want more for myself. This has onlymade my educational experience better…Our class leaders havedone everything in their power to change what they don’t like aboutthe school...now we know first-hand what can be accomplishedwith a little determination.— Brea Allen ‘10ON LEADERSHIP[Two] qualities set the very best leaders apart: First, they takepersonal responsibility.…They take charge, they act, they move.They know that leadership is not about titles or status; it is abouthow you think, how you behave, what you contribute.— Aradhna DhandaFor the past years we have continually heard “think also of thecomfort and the rights of others.” With this motto and the life skillsthat our educators and peers have taught us here at WT, we willmake a difference in this world. No matter what we do, WT hasprepared all of us to become leaders...We are the people who willfind the next reliable energy source, depreciating our reliance onoil; we are the people who will work to fight disease, conductingresearch that will make an impact; and we are the people whowill study the works of the cosmos, expanding the horizons ofscientific curiosity.— Rachel Dougherty ‘10ON COMMUNITY[The very best leaders]…see themselves as part of somethinglarger. They reach out to others, seek guidance and input, establishnetworks, share learning, and build coalitions. By viewing the worldthrough the prism of community, they ask better questions anddevise better solutions.— Aradhna DhandaWT has shaped who we are today...[No] matter where we endup, the skills that WT has given us will stay with us, strengtheningand supporting each of us. Even though we’re leaving, this schoolhas left its mark on us and will shape us for the rest of our lives.— Rachel Dougherty ‘1010 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

Students Honored atCommencement 2010College Choices for the Class of 2010Emily E. Dorrance AwardAndrés Rafael VélezMary A. Campbell AwardNathan Rico OngMary A. Graham Mitchell AwardHazel Thérèse EatonAlice M. Thurston AwardRachel Vittoria DoughertyRuth S. Gamsby AwardChristopher M. SchmidtNina Wadhwa Student Council AwardChristopher M. Schmidt2010 Cum Laude inductees celebrate with Science DepartmentChair Brenda Abbey (seated in center row, middle), who wasselected by the students to give the Cum Laude ceremonyaddress, and Director of College Counseling David Seward.Nine Seniors Inducted intoCum Laude SocietyIn January Winchester Thurston School inducted nine membersof the Class of 2010 into the Cum Laude Society, an organizationdedicated to recognizing academic achievement in secondaryschools. Founded in 1906, Cum Laude was modeled after PhiBeta Kappa, and has grown to 350 chapters, most of which arelocated in independent schools.The nine outstanding members of the class of 2009 selected forinduction were:Helen BunkerRachel DoughertyHazel EatonBarbara JohnsonNathan OngMorgan ReMatthew RosenbergMiranda SantucciRachel WoodsBrea N. AllenAlexandra N. AshleyChristopher T. BangsPeter S. BerexaJimyse L. BrownHelen S. BunkerRachel V. DoughertyEmily C. DressenHazel T. EatonHayleigh M. EdmondsAlaina P. FerryChristopher F. FlahertyAlema R. HeywoodMeta B. HordBarbara C. JohnsonAngel P. KaragyozovGeoffrey T. KellerGraham S. KellerBrian T. KrellSpencer B. LieberRosaleen F. MahorterKhalipha A. MisawaNathan R. OngAmbika M. RameshMorgan A. ReBlake G. ReadingMatthew M. RosenbergMiranda N. SantucciChristopher M. SchmidtSarah D. ShepherdAndrew E. SnydermanJonathan H. SpringerInaya M. StephensonJames Dalton TowersDanielle M. Trauth-JurmanKurt I. TwymanKathryn M. VarnayAndrés R. VélezMolly M. WeinerRachel L. WoodsDì XieIsabel M. ZehnerGeorgia State UniversityUniversity of PittsburghMcGill UniversityLafayette CollegeShepherd UniversityCarnegie Mellon UniversityFordham UniversityMiami University, OxfordWestminster Choir Collegeof Rider UniversityDuquesne UniversityThe College of WoosterWest Virginia UniversityBowling Green State UniversityYoungstown State UniversityNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityUniversity of PittsburghGuilford CollegeUniversity of PittsburghDickinson CollegeTulane UniversityThe George Washington UniversityUniversity of Pittsburgh,University Honors CollegeUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of San DiegoSyracuse UniversityUniversity of Pittsburgh,University Honors CollegeAllegheny CollegeAmerican UniversityOtterbein CollegeXavier UniversityRochester Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Pittsburgh atJohnstownUniversity of Pittsburgh atJohnstownBowling Green State University,Honors CollegeUniversity of PittsburghLehigh UniversityCarnegie Mellon UniversityUniversity of PittsburghEmerson CollegeNew York UniversityBoston Universityw w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g11

wt todayUpper School OrchestraIN FULL(clockwise) Nathan Ong ’10, Hazel Eaton ’10, Alaina Ferry ’10,and John Maione“ We have somethingspecial going on here,and the vision is just tokeep getting better.”— John MaioneSWINGWhen Upper School orchestra conductor John Maionewaved his baton for the first time 10 years ago, helooked out over a very small sea of faces. “There wereabout four kids,” recalls Maione. “In those early years, we weredoing simple music, things in two and three part harmony, andwe were playing (arrangements) that the Middle School orchestrais now doing. We couldn’t really do an orchestral piece…We onlyhad one or two strings. I didn’t have a cello until five years ago!”Today, the Upper School orchestra has 19 members, boastsan admirable lineage of accomplished—some extraordinary—musicians, and, this spring, crowned the 2009-2010 season withits most remarkable performance to date. “This is the fourthfull-length orchestra concert we’ve done,” Maione declares. “It’sthe most balanced program of music ever: four separate suites.I put them together so they play like a mini-symphony: one fromthe Classical period, one from the Romantic period, one from theBaroque period, and a 20th century suite.”Senior Alaina Ferry, WT’s Violino Principato, was joinedby WT’s 2010 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association(PMEA) representatives, violinists Nathan Ong ’10 and LangstonMacDiarmid ’13, along with senior pianist Hazel Eaton, to12 T h iis ttlle tta llk S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

lead a performance that mesmerized the orchestra’s audiencewith compositions by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov,Copland, Mussorgsky, Bernstein, and Vivaldi.PreludeEven in its infancy, the orchestra had impact and made Maioneproud. “We took our little orchestra to do community serviceperformances at a retirement village, and we actually played inthe hallway of the cancer floor at Shadyside Hospital.” Gradually,Maione attracted a following of committed musicians who inturn attracted others to join.2004-2005 was a pivotal year: “I found my two superstars—Michael McCarthyo n v i o l i n , a n dpianist Yin Yin Ou,”Maione says. “YinYin was a concertos o l o i s t w i t hthe McKeespor tSymphony, and waswinning competitions at Duquesne University and many otherplaces. Michael played with the Pittsburgh Youth SymphonyOrchestra. By the end of their tenure here, we had done fivepieces of music where we were not doing arrangements for highschool. We were doing what the symphony players would orderfrom Kalmus, the music publisher. We did three of Vivaldi’s FourSeasons, we did Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Correlli’sChristmas Concerto, and it was the real thing.”“I think the most rewarding and challenging part of beingin the orchestra was learning Vivaldi's Four Seasons,” reflectsMcCarthy ’08, currently studying violin performance with a minorin physics at Cleveland Institute of Music/Case Western ReserveUniversity. “We played Autumn, Spring, and Winter, all three ofwhich have very challenging and demanding solo violin parts.”“The orchestra provided a supportive and safe environmentfor artistic exploration and growth,” adds Ou ’08, who studiespiano at Stanford University while majoring in international relations.“It was a place where we could challenge ourselves withoutthe fear of being judged or criticized.”The orchestra mesmerized theiraudience with compositions byBach, Haydn, Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, Copland, Mussorgsky,Bernstein, and Vivaldi.Turning Point2006-2007, McCarthy’s and Ou’s junior year, saw an influx ofstudents from the Middle School orchestra, including violinistNathan Ong ’10 and pianist Hazel Eaton ’10, coinciding with thearrival of a new freshman, violinist Alaina Ferry ’10.“Alaina and Nathan were able to create a violin section for usto do the concertos so that Michael could be principal violinist,”recalls Maione. “And then Hazel walked in and eventually tookover Yin Yin’s role. Hazel is an incredible pianist, Chair One of myguitar ensemble, maybe the finest musician overall who’s walkedthrough these doors in my tenure.”wt todayFerry, who is a Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestraviolinist, also plays clarinet, and plans to minor in music at theCollege of Wooster, helped bring the orchestra full circle withthis year’s performance of Vivaldi’s Summer Concerto, thuscompleting the Four Seasons cycle begun in 2008 with McCarthy.She says: “The orchestra has evolved so much since I have becomea member. Every rehearsal it seems that we sound more incredible.As we individually grow as musicians, we also grow togetherto become a more cohesive and beautiful-sounding group.”Forward MovementOne of the ensemble’s most prestigious appearances took place inJanuary at the Carnegie Music Hall—a 37-minute concert prior tothe Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society’s presentation of the worldrenowned Emerson String Quartet.“It’s a beautiful space with amazing acoustics, and I thoughtit was one of the best performances we ever did. People whowere there to see the Emerson String Quartet seemed to reallyenjoy us, and I felt like we were a professional group, and not just‘high schoolers,’” says Eaton, who will pursue a degree in organperformance at Westminster Choir College, and plans a master’sdegree in sacred music.The performance sparked a new City as Our Campuspartnership for 2010-2011.“We are starting a partnership with the Pittsburgh ChamberMusic Society next year,” announces Maione. “It’s a programpatterned very much after our Manchester Craftsmen’s Guildpartnership. We’ll be working with professionals who are wellknown the world over.”The orchestra still has its challenges: each year, seasonedmembers graduate, and new musicians step in. The ensembleis still small by anyone’s standards, and doesn’t always have fullinstrumentation. “For four years I only had one viola – then therewas the year without one! – so I transposed the viola part forB-flat clarinet and for flutes to balance things out a little bit so wecould do full arrangements.”There’s even been a learning curve for Maione, an accomplishedmusician with expertise in jazz and rock, among othergenres—but for whom classical conducting has been “a journey.”He credits Ou with teaching him a thing or two in that regard.Observes Ong: “With a background in jazz, he has a differentstyle in conducting, allowing a bit of freedom and comfortwith students. He continually pushes students to play moredistinctly, rather than hide ‘behind the music.’ In addition, hedoes something most classical conductors don't: he smiles whileconducting.”“What’s starting to happen here is really amazing,” concludesMaione. “We’re building a program and an ensemble that isgrowing better every year. We have something special going onhere, and the vision is just to keep getting better.”w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g13

wt todaySHAKESPEARE STUDENTSTAKE CENTER STAGEForsooth! Middle School students have been delvingdeeply into William Shakespeare’s works, thanks toteacher Cindy Green’s efforts to bring the Bard vividlyand vibrantly to life. Although works by Shakespeare werealready an established part of the Middle School Language Artscurriculum, Green’s project, fueled by a City as Our Campusgrant, engages students in dramatic new ways by putting themat center stage—literally.“ The goal is to allowstudent s to get to knowShakespeare’s plays in the waythey were intended to be known,by acting them out,” says Green.“Acting out the plays allowsstudents to investigate thesubtleties of language, plot,and character in a way that isnot possible by only readingthe text.”Plan...Prepare...PerformThe project calls for studentsto prepare and perform scenesfrom Shakespeare’s plays, andlinks the activities to two significant local resources throughoutthe school year: Pittsburgh Public Theater (PPT) and visitingartist Tori Rhoades, whose specialty is Shakespeare performanceand teaching Shakespeare’s plays to adolescents.The project took shape in two of Green’s classes—seventhgrade Language Arts, and a new Shakespeare Monologue andScene Contest elective open to all Middle School students,which Green devised to prepare students to compete inPPT’s Shakespeare Monologue and Scene contest, an annualcompetition for area students at all grade levels, held in February.Collaborating and CoachingGreen launched the project with a trip to PPT’s O’ReillyTheater for a behind-the-scenes look at preparations for itsproduction of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, followed by anactual performance.“Students (saw) professionals performing the play andbringing it to life. Now, when they are acting out (their scenes),they will have real-world experience to support their preparation,”explains Green. “Many students did not know what to expectand were surprised it was so funny and the actors were so good.”With the performance fresh in their minds, studentsin the elective moved to the next phase: expert coaching byRhoades and PPT actors Ken Bolden and Kathryn Spitz Cohanon monologues and scenes from plays such as Twelfth Nightand As You Like It. “Bringing in acting coaches helps studentswith the great challenge of creating vivid and realistic scenes,”states Green, adding that the coaches also “enhance (students’)knowledge of Shakespeare and specific acting techniques aswell as Elizabethan Theater.”Walking the studentsthrough their chosen worksline by line, the coachesgave pointers on everythingfrom diction and delivery(“Think about reaching tothe back of the theater,”Rhoades counseled studentson WT’s Falk Auditoriumstage. “It’s very different froma classroom. You need tobe able to reach with yourvoice!”) to character analysisand motivation (“Who areyou?” Cohan prodded sixthgrader Amanda Siegel as shepracticed her portrayal of Viola/Cesario from Twelfth Night.“What are you doing? You’re not just a messenger.” With dawningrealization Amanda replied, “I’m a girl who is pretending to be aeunuch to survive!”) to even analyzing the significance of gesturesand movement (“This,” gestures Bolden, “disperses your energy.Movement is language, so choose carefully when you move.”)The Bard and Beyond“Shakespeare is universal,” declares Rhoades. “Shakespeare’slanguage, his stories, his characters and their struggles providea framework and structure in which young people can begin toexplore and express their deeply felt emotions, questions aboutthe world, about relationships, and about themselves. Throughthe act of embodying Shakespeare’s language, and awakening theimagination to the world of the play, the student allows all partsof him- or herself to engage in learning—mind, body and soul.”Green concludes, “I’d like to begin a tradition of MiddleSchool students participating in the Shakespeare Monologueand Scene contest. (I’d like) the community at large to get abetter appreciation for the rigor of our program and the abilitiesof our students.”14 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

NORTHNEWSHOUNDSWT North fifth graders gained real-world experience thisyear as they chronicled campus life for North News, aspecial section of the Pine Creek Journal communitynewspaper. From teacher interviews, favorite field trips, andannual events such as the Medieval Festival and Applefest, toa report on the natural beauty and benefits of the North HillsCampus and related environmental issues, the students wroteabout and photographed anything that piqued their interest—and what they predicted would interest readers as well.“It has given them a chance to apply the writing and editingskills they have been learning to a real purpose and for a largeraudience,” notes fifth grade teacher Brock Perkins.Perkins’s students honed critical literacy skills throughNewspapers in Education (NIE), a program that links schoolswith The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post,and other papers. WT’s junior journalists partnered with the PineCreek Journal and its parent company, Trib Total Media. DonaDreeland, assistant director of community relations, collaboratedwith Perkins and his students, who published six issues ofNorth News.“It is especially gratifying to be involved in this programbecause it encourages learning, thinking, and writing—threequalities of any good journalist, and valuable skills for students,no matter their grade level,” emphasizes Dreeland.“This project has allowed students to tell North’s story fromtheir perspective,” explains Perkins. “They brainstorm the ideasfor the articles, choose which articles to write, and plan, edit, andrewrite their items for the newspaper. They have also workedwith a terrific parent editor, Jen Alexander, and have come torealize that their articles may be changed to fit the newspaper’sspace and needs. They see what it really takes—what editorsdo and look for, and that it’s not just the teacher who takes thered pen and says, ‘this doesn’t work.’”“Lower School students need to see howwhat they learn in school is applied in thereal world.”— Brock Perkins“I have learned that when you write an article, your roughdraft is very different from your final draft,” attests KelseyBares. Classmate Julia Lupariello advises patience through theprocess. “It takes a lot of effort and hard work to write a story.It takes a long time to finish your article, and there is alwaysmore editing to be done.”“I like reporting for the newspaper because we get to learnlots of new things that we didn’t know,” says Ben Harrison.“When you are telling a story, you have to add lots of detailsto make it interesting.” Most gratifying for Caldwell Holdenwas “seeing what it looks like at the end, and being proud ofmy work.”Perkins declares the project an unqualified success, and isalready planning on more editions of North News for next year.“Lower School students need to see how what they learnin school is applied in the real world,” states Perkins. “Fifthgraders, in particular, really need to see the real-world valueof the concepts and skills they are learning.”w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g15

wt todayWinter/Spring HIGHLIGHTSHigh TechCitizenshipLanguage LeadersStudents from WT’s AP computer scienceclass earned first place in the League ofWomen Voters Mock Election DesignChallenge. The contest required studentsto design and test a prototype of anelectronic voting machine. TheWT team presented their final systemat the summer teachers professionaldevelopment workshop held at CarnegieMellon University. Next fall, WT’ssystem will be incorporated into the firstAllegheny County Mock Elections tobe conducted in area high schools.116 Middle School and Upper School students have distinguished themselvesamong hundreds of thousands of students nationally through their performance inthe 2010 National Spanish Examination, Le Grand Concours - The National FrenchContest, and the National LatinExamination. Alicia Sewald,Chair of the World Languagesand Cultures Department,says, “These national languageexaminations are a wellrespected means of assessmentof students' proficiency insecond language acquisitionat the Middle and UpperSchool levels.”B.E.A.R.Dozens of children and theirparents descended upon theNorth Hills Campus in Mayto celebrate the joy and funof reading. Organized by WTteacher Kylie Malack, theB.E.A.R. (Be Excited aboutReading) Literacy Nightfeatured fun reading activitiesfor children and parents anda visit from none other thanthe WT Bear.YoungAmbassadorsTwelve Middle School students exploredtheir avid interest in world cultures atthe World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh’sStudent Ambassador Conference at theUniversity of Pittsburgh on May 6. Theconference was designed to familiarizemiddle school students with globalissues and cultures through interactionwith foreign nationals and regionalexperts, including European andinternational representatives. Studentswere selected to attend based on theirdedicated interest in world affairs andall around classroom performance.GREASE isthe WordWinchester Thurston’srollicking rendition ofGrease: The Musical rockedthe house this year, havingalso been staged at WT in1988 and 2000. DirectorBarbara Holmes says, “Oneof the things that wasreally exciting about thisproduction was the overallexecution of the dancing.The entire cast workedtirelessly to deliver exciting,accurate, and high energylevelproduction numbers.”16 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

wt todayPledging AllegianceCity Campus third graders visitedPittsburgh City Council in Januaryto lead the Pledge of Allegiancebefore Council’s regular meeting.The students had a tour of CouncilChambers and met many of themembers, including newly electedCity Council president Darlene Harrisand WT Advisory Board memberPatrick Dowd.Inspired byMLKFour Upper School students wroteaward winning essays for the citywideMartin Luther King, Jr. WritingAwards sponsored by Carnegie MellonUniversity. Since itsinception in 1999,the competitioncalls for poems orpersonal narrativesthat reflect thelegacy of Dr.King. WinchesterThurston studentshave participatedin the contest since2004, winningawards every yearsince.Visiting AuthorWinchester Thurston hosted KimberlyWillis Holt—winner of the NationalBook Award for Young People’sLiterature for When Zachary Beaver Came to Town—as a visiting author. Holt spenta day with students in grades PK–6. Through the use of personal photos and storiesshe explained to students where her ideas for her books come from—often personalexperiences. She talked about her writing and seemingly endless revising process,and the importance of working hard and following your dreams.´EXPOSE This year’s EighthGrade Research Expo covered a wide rangeof topics, including the My Lai Massacre,U.S. healthcare, identity theft, globalwarming, photography techniques, andaddiction to fast food. Students chose theirown topics, which they presented in March.The presentations incorporated the useof homemade videos, YouTube clips, andsophisticated PowerPoint slides.Filipino-AmericanStudent of the YearSenior Nathan Ong has been named the 2010 OutstandingFilipino-American Student of the Year by the AsianAmerican Heritage Committee of the Federal ExecutiveBoard of Pittsburgh. According to the Committee,“These dedicated students are setting the pace for our high schools in academics,extracurricular activities, and community service. It is fitting that we honorthese future leaders and call public attention to their success, which stems fromdedication, strong family ties and support, which are part of the Asian Culture.”Wild, Wild West! WT North students and facultydonned their bandanas and cowboy hats, and saddled up for fabulous field day fun.A highlight of the day: a relay race on “horseback!”w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g17

wt todayWinter/Spring SPORTS ROUNDUPGirls Take ItBoys Hoop It Upto the HoopGirls Varsity Basketball had a monumentalseason! The Bears made itto the second round of the WPIALplayoffs, a first in WT history, losingin a close battle to North CatholicHigh School. Seniors Jimyse Brownand Inaya Stephenson both reached1,000 points for their careers, againa first for WT. The team finishedwith a record of 15-8. This markedCoach Monica Williams’ fourth andmost successful season, along withAssistant Coach Brandi Harris.18 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0ON GUARDCongrats to the Upper School VarsityFencing team, which became the PAInterscholastic Fencing Association Men’sTeam Foil Champions. Junior Max Findleyplaced eighth out of 198 fencers at theJunior Olympics. The team is coached byIana Dakova.LAX TimeBoys Varsity Lacrosse advanced tothe first round of WPIAL Playoffsthis spring, boasting a regularseason record of 8-5. Junior DavidCurtis made the WPIAL allsectionfirst team, while freshmanMicah Monah and sophomoreDevin Kalanish made all-sectionsecond team. The team was led by new headcoach Chris Ortmann and assistants Brian Kuhnand Adam Brownold.Girls Varsity Lacrossehad a strong seasonunder the newleadership of HeadCoach ElizabethPatterson and assistantOlivia Gilmore. Thegirls finished 6-8 forthe season, beating outVincentian Academy,Greensburg Salem, andTaylor Allderdice.The Boys Varsity Basketball team had a winning 11-7season, advancing to the final round of the GreaterPittsburgh Independent Basketball League playoffs.After a hard fought game the boys took second place.The team looks forward to another season under CoachBryan Brennaman, assisted by Kevin Miller.Bear Cubs B-BallMiddle School Girls Basketball had a great season, beatingout rivals Ellis, Sewickley, Community Day School, andFalk. Coached by David Piemme and Lisa Allswede,the young team is excited for next season. Beating outCommunity Day School and Pittsburgh Urban ChristianSchool, Middle School Boys Basketball had a hard-foughtseason led by coaches Chris Sledge and Bill Fitch.Well Run In their firstyear as a track team, the former trackclub proved to be a strong force. With14 students on the team, they competedagainst WPIAL schools in the shot putand track events. Junior Adam Ellerqualified for the WPIAL Championshipsand earned a sixth place finish in the800m race. The team was led by coachBruce Frey, assisted by Travis Bui.Row Show Competing across theeast coast, the 27 crew team members had a busy andsuccessful year. WT boats placed in the Head of the Ohiorace, and Dave Nicholson, Jacob Rayzberg, and ShlomoBear took the highest winnings for WT, a bronze medalfinish for a quad. The girls took home seventh and18th place wins in the sprints and doubles respectively.Congrats to junior Penny Smith who qualified as part ofa quad to go to Youth Nationals. The team is coached byDori Tompa, Laci Tompa, and Lucy Tuttle-Smith.Bear CubsLAX Middle SchoolBoys Lacrosse competed underthe leadership of Head CoachJeff Cronauer, assisted by RyanBopp ’08. The Middle SchoolGirls team, after years of trying,finally defeated Ellis in a closematch. The Bears were coachedby Ashley Lemmon ’01 andCourtney Rovnan.

wt todayParents Association:Another Great Season of Community, Camaraderie, and CommitmentIn response to a generous donor'schallenge, a corps of committedparent volunteers rolled up theirsleeves for the WT Fund this year,serving as WT Fund Class Agentsand reaching out to fellow parentsto garner support for the school’sannual fund. Their work resultedin unprecedented support: WTFund gifts from 348 families, and anall-time record participation levelof 74%! Seven classes reached 100%participation. This is the highestparent participation on record at WT!Auction ActionParents, faculty, grandparents, and alumsunited this spring in one of the mostprofitable WT Online Auctions to date,helping to raise more than $40,000 tosupport WT’s scholarship and financialaid program. Veteran auction volunteerand parent leader Tracey Reading devotedcountless hours in creating the catalogof experiences. New parent Nat Cohenprovided the leadership and enthusiasmthat was directly responsible for thesuccess of this year’s 50/50 raffle. 518tickets were sold resulting in $5,387.SPRING FLING Under the leadership of ParentChair Adam Leong, the 32nd Spring Fling Carnival was a great success! Volunteerscreated a fun afternoon of bouncing, gaming, singing, and celebrating for ourchildren and families. Parent Volunteer Allison Thompson led the tenth-grade classin an amazing Flower Sale to supportthe Class of 2013 prom. Joanne Averch,Kate Stainton, Laurie Winslow, NoreenTompkins, and Terri McDonnell providedthe organization and brainpower behindthe class booths, café, raffle baskets,and tickets sales. Kudos to the entirecommittee for a super job!GoGreen! OnSaturday, May 8, faculty and parentsjoined to build, dig, plant, tie-dye, spud,and create at WT’s North Hills Campus.Special thanks to Lee and John Bares whodesigned and created wood storage cheststo add to the Natural Playground, SabrinaWojnaroski for her leadership relatedto all things“green,” CindyFrohlich forher hard workin the gardens,and to BrockPerkins andLynne Raphaelfor theirvision relatedto GoGreeninitiatives.Thank You, Deesha!After two years as President of the Parents Association,Deesha Philyaw handed the baton to Noreen Tompkinson June 30. Philyaw reflects, “My deepest appreciationgoes out to the WT community....I count it a privilegeto have worked in this capacity with such a thoughtful,creative, and committed group of parents, educators,administrators, and students.”Breakfast withthe Birds Alisa Blatter, ParentVolunteer Leader for the Gardens Committee,and Kelly Vignale, Lower School City scienceteacher, hosted the second annual "Breakfastwith the Birds" at the City Campus LowerSchool Learning Garden on Saturday, May 15.Students enjoyed an interactive session onbackyard birds, a puppet show, and a scavengerhunt in the garden before painting miniaturebirdhouses and planting flowers. The eventhelped to raise funds for a picnic bench.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g19

faculty highlightsKatheleen Russell, Music Teacher,RetiresKatheleen Russell retired after 21 years as afull-time faculty member. “I have made manylifetime friendships over the years. I willreally miss the students, too; all the differentage groups and seeing them grow each yearis so wonderful,” reflects Russell.Russell taught Lower School Music andChorus, Middle School Music and Orchestra,oversaw the Middle School musical for 11 years and the Upper Schoolmusical for 14 years. “In her two decades of service to WinchesterThurston, Kathy has had impact on all of our students, Pre-K through12,” says Performing Arts Department Chair Daniel Sadowski. “She’salso been a participant in the wider community, serving on committees,including a stint as chair of the Professional Development committee.She’ll really be missed.”In retirement Russell and her husband plan to travel and spendtime with their grandchildren.Pat Leddy, Business Office OperationsCoordinator, RetiresAfter 31 years as Business Office OperationsCoordinator, Pat Leddy retired last winter.Leddy coordinated benefits, transportation,and accounts payable. Gaylen Westfall,Director of Development and Alumnae/iRelations, who has been at WT for 35 years,describes Leddy as “efficient, effective, andusually not overly expressive, except whenshe was shrugging off someone’s compliments of herself or her work.”Westfall recently spoke with Leddy and says, “Pat is enjoying herretirement and when recently called was breathless when she answeredthe phone. Asked if she was out exercising she replied, ‘Good heavensno; I was gardening!’”Mary Martin ’88 Named 2010Jane L. Scarborough Award WinnerWT congratulates Middle School visual artsteacher Mary Martin ’88, recipient of the2010 Jane L. Scarborough Award, WinchesterThurston’s highest accolade for excellencein teaching. Martin, a WT alumna andparent, humbly reflects, “It is a wonderfulfeeling to know that your work is valuedand appreciated. I feel that the award is areflection on all those that have impacted my work and I truly feelthat the WT community motivates me to challenge myself and mystudents. I strive to continue to serve the community by giving backand by striving to impact youth in a positive and constructive way.”Kylie Malack Receives Judy AptNathenson Memorial AwardNorth Hills Campus transitional classroomteacher Kylie Malack received the 2010Judy Apt Nathenson Memorial Chairfor Excellence in Childhood Education.Malack, who has been at WT for four years,appreciatively says, “Knowing the legacy ofMrs. Nathenson and the incredible teachershe was, I feel extremely honored to receive this award. Working at WTis an award in itself. Not only do I get to work with amazing kids, butI am surrounded by excellent colleagues who are dedicated, talented,hard-working, and in my opinion the best in the field.”New Director of Lower SchoolCity Campus AnnouncedJill Fetzer has been appointed Director ofLower School at the City Campus. Fetzercame to WT last fall as an AcademicEnrichment and Challenge teacher; shebrought to this position considerableexperience in gifted education, as wellas more than 20 years in many areas ofelementary education. Her career includesa wide range of teaching and administrative experience in grades1-5, including coordinating gifted and talented services, building andimplementing instructional strategies, evaluating school improvementobjectives, supervising instructional programs, and initiating,designing and developing curriculum. Fetzer has been recognized forher excellence as an educator, having been a 2004 finalist for DistrictTeacher of the Year in the McKinney Independent School District,McKinney, Texas, and a 1998 Disney Teacher of the Year Candidate. Sheholds a M.Ed. and a B.S. from California University of Pennsylvania andAdministration certification from Texas Woman’s University.Bridging the Gap BetweenResearch and EducationCity Campus third grade teacher KarenGaul will attend a week-long session atHarvard’s Graduate School of Educationtitled, “Connecting the Mind, Brain andEducation” this summer. The goal of thesession is to bridge the gap between researchand practice in education.Japan BoundLisa Allswede, Upper and Middle Schoolvisual arts teacher, embarks on a three weekjourney to Japan this summer. Allswedewas one of 15 teachers chosen to attend theNational Consortium of Teaching AboutAsia’s (NCTA) program, “The Makingof Modern Japan; Ideas, Innovations,Technologies.” The goal is to enrich teachers’experience by immersing them in theculture. The group will be based in Kobe, Japan, visiting and observinglocal schools, points of interest, temples, and even a baseball game.The group will also take day and overnight excursions to other citiesand villages.Presenting at the AnnualAP ConferenceThis summer Jill Kazmierczak, EnglishDepartment Chair, will present at the APAnnual Conference in Washington, D.C. Herpresentation, “A Toolbox for Synthesis,” willprovide teachers with practical strategiesand tools for teaching synthesis to highschool students.20 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

development & alumnae/i newsyoung alumNAE/I leadership CouncilCREATES SCHOLARSHIP FUND“Winchester Thurston has shaped me in many ways beyondwhat I expected it to. It took so much work to bring myself to theWT level of excellence…Thank goodness the teachers were sopatient and concerned with my progress, because they helpedme grow tremendously! From freshman year to senior year,my capabilities were vastly improved! I’ve been told by myprofessors that I’m a profoundly mature writer of philosophy,that I’m an inquisitive science student, and an overall wellprepared scholar." — Tianda King ’09Thanks to the commitment of the Young Alumnae/iLeadership Council and to the generosity of nearly 60young alums, $10,000 was added to Winchester Thurston’s2010-2011 financial aid resources, specifically to fund oneUpper School student’s tuition.This was just one of a number of initiatives undertakenby the Council, a group of WT alums spanning the classesof 1989-2009. Last year, the Council considered how theycould give back to the Winchester Thurston communitywhile increasing interest and participation from the WTalumnae/i network. They formed four committees to work onmarketing and admissions, communications, philanthropy, andnetworking. Each committee set goals and developed actionplans.The philanthropy committee was aware that giving fromyoung alums was in need of substantial improvement. Itwas decided that the creation of a specific scholarship fundwould increase young alum participation and would connecttheir contributions to a more tangible cause. The Council'sfirst philanthropy goal was to raise $10,000 from WT youngalums to support tuition assistance for an Upper Schoolstudent. “The words of young alum Tianda King, who wroteto us to express her gratitude for the financial support shereceived as a student, bring to life the importance of financialaid and the generosity of our young alums. They came forwardwith this initiative because they wanted to help others have thesame excellent Upper School education and college preparatoryexperience they did,” says Jennifer Scanlon, Director ofInstitutional Advancement.In addition to leading the effort to raise this gift, over thepast 12 months the Council has held several social events,worked to help establish “mywt,” the Alumnae/i Portal of theWT web site, and worked to increase networking opportunitiesfor students and other young alums.Donors to the 2009 - 2010 Young Alum ScholarshipDina Kaplan A ’89Jennifer Gonzalez McComb ’89Lissa Guttman ’90Alunda Grzybek Edmonds ’91April Lee ’91Dorothy McLaughlin ’91Kathleen Metinko ’91Kelly Hanna Riley ’91Jennifer Staley ’91Ann Stanton Adams ’93Jennifer Deklewa Gabler ’94Kate Masley ’94Erin Herward Thurston ’94Lauren Ames ’95Katie Brennan ’95Cathryn Hunt Graybill ’95Christie Schroth ’95Sarah Gross Fife ’96Anjali Sachdeva ’96Laurel Shaw ’96Daniel Michelmore ’97Lisa Davis ’97Satvik Rangaraj ’97Adam Witt ’97Azadeh Masalehdan Block ’98Laura Cantor ’98Sarah Farkas ’98Sara Ginsburg ’98Sara Ruth Kerr ’98Lee Erica Moses A ’98Antoinette Oliver ’98Brandilyn Dumas ’99Christopher Potter ’99Nathaniel Doyno ’01Gautam Ganguli ’01Ashley Lemmon ’01Kristen Maser Michaels ’01Byron Raco ’01Kerry Soso ’01Laura Stack ’01David Farkas ’02Rachel Gross ’02Danielle Chalfant ’03Callie Gropp ’03Katlyn McGraw ’03John Prendergast ’03Abigail Robinson ’03Nickia Booker ’04James Eversmeyer ’04Lara Miller ’04Ian Sullivan ’04Steven Tracy ’05Sunil Narla ’06Jessica Schwartz ’06Andrew Wickerham ’06Michael D’Emilio ’07Lindsay Machen ’07Sonya Narla ’07Logan Uretsky ’07Elspeth Powell ’08Mireille Ngokion ’09Katharine Vidt ’09Class of 2010* List is current as ofJune 18, 2010.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g21

development & alumnae/i newsReUNiON all year longWT was thrilled to connect and reconnect with alums at these winter and spring events. Morefun photos can be found on the WT website in the “mywt” Alumnae/i portal. Log on today!Home from College LunchWT’sannual Home from College Lunch attractedmore than 40 alums home for their winter breakin January 2010.Margartet Kross ’07, Olivia Carb ’07, Director of Admission Karyn Vella,Lindsay Machen ’07, and Moira Egler ’07Bennett Washburn ’08,Elspeth Powell ’08, andEliza Hens-Greco ’08WT On the Road in San FranciscoAcclaimed South of Market restaurant, Orson, was thesetting for a WT gathering of 20 in San Francisco inFebruary. Alums from the Classes of 1946 through2000 were there with spouses and friends to hear Head ofSchool Gary J. Niels give an updateon WT. Niels was in town for aNational Association of IndependentSchools conference, wherehe spoke to faculty, trustees, andadministrators from other schoolsaround the country on the E. E.Ford Leadership Grant programand the growth of WT’s signatureprogram, City as Our Campus.Helen Scully, HonoraryAlumna, and Jean AyarsPohli ’46Scott Morehouse, Elizabeth Champagne ’71, Christina Campobasso ’89,and Barbara Kraemer-Cook ’81Christopher Andrews and Erinn Evans Andrews A’00,Brynn Evans ’98 and Chris MessinaErinn Evans Andrews A’00 andLatika Ravi Signorelli ’97Judy Chamberlain, Honorary Alumna andFormer Head of School, and Isil Arican ’9022 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

Young Alums Get Happy!In January, more than 30 young alumnae/i gatheredfor happy hour at 2Red Lounge in Pittsburgh’s trendyEast Side neighborhood.Winchester Thurston Upper School was the sitein April of a second happy hour for alumnae/i,sponsored by theYoung Alum LeadershipCouncil. From there, manyvisited the faculty art show,By Example, in the WT ArtGallery before taking inthe lively production ofGrease, this year’s UpperSchool Musical.Becky Barnett ’03 andHead of School Gary J. NielsLisa Przyborski ’01, David Farkas ’02, Kerry Soso ’01, Kristen Maser ’01,and Director of Upper School Mick GeeBrea Heidelberg ’02 and her friend Alex (l)with Jason Shavers ’00Donor Appreciation LuncheonStudent scholars expressed their appreciation todonors who support financial aid at the secondannual Donor Appreciation Luncheon in April.Head of School Gary J. Niels led a discussion with thedonors and students, who spoke of the academic rigor ofthe program, their college aspirations, research projects,and full participation in the life of WT.Sheldon Marstine (l)and Ian JamesJean Forncrook Armstrong ’44 (l)and Meg Henne-Gibson ’91Richard Nathensonand Gaylen Westfallw w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g23

development & alumnae/i newsMiss Mitchell Society MemberBeverlee Simboli McFadden ’55“I thought WT was the best education I had! I believe that anyone that hasbeen blessed with a good life should give back.”“I attended WT for four years, whereexpectations were clear: We wouldbe proper ladies, be interested inour studies, seek higher education,and improve ourselves.” McFaddenenjoyed all aspects of WT—arthistory with Mrs. Washburn; sports;senior follies, which she directed;and French with Mme. Yagodkin,which she mastered so well that shecommunicates fluently in Paris today.As a child McFadden was a gifteddancer. “I trained from the time I wastwo with Gene Kelly’s dance teacher, performed at the Syria Mosque,and became a very good dancer,” recalls McFadden. She could havepursued dance in New York City but instead stayed in Pittsburgh. “Idecided that it was time to work on my mind, so chose to attend WT.”After WT, McFadden moved to California with her husband, Daniel,where she earned a B.F.A. at Mills College. She continued the familytradition of art (her father Raymond Simboli was an accomplishedpainter and teacher), studying painting and photography. McFaddenwas exposed to an incomparable array of artists and photographersin San Francisco, and eventually became a photographer herself,reaching back to her Pittsburgh roots and focusing on sculpturalindustrial photography. She has worked extensively in Boston andSan Francisco and was invited by Polaroid to use one of their largeformatcameras to photograph paper collages.Daniel McFadden won the 2000 Nobel Prize in economics, and hisnumerous honors have afforded the McFaddens opportunities totravel the world and create interesting and lasting friendships. Shetreasures her experiences and is still extraordinarily active in theBerkeley area. The McFaddens own a vineyard, farm, and winery on30 acres in Napa Valley with a view of the bay. In addition to growinggrapes and making cabernet, they grow pomegranates, quinces, andfigs for local gourmet restaurants.McFadden credits WT for preparing her for a life of internationaltravel, creative work, and full engagement in all aspects of her life.She decided to leave a legacy to WT because, “I thought it was thebest education I had. I believe that anyone that has been blessedwith a good life should give back.” She has indicated that she wouldlike her legacy to be directed to science and art—her passions in life.Members of the Miss Mitchell SocietyMarybert Englert Allen ’40*Ann E. Armstrong T’29*Loretta Lobes Benec ’88Barbara Abney Bolger ’52Arthur E. Braun*Eleanor Harbison Bream ’31*Herbert Briggs, Jr.*Barbara Hunter Burghart ’71 *Marion Weis Cohen ’44Marion Montgomery Colbourne ’52Nancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37*Mary Campbell Eckhardt*Virginia A. Elliott T’26*Eleanor Lanz Ericson T’17*Elizabeth Braun Ernst ’25*Harriet Adler Feldman ’57Margaret J. Garner T’18*Mabel L. Gillespie*Robert I. GlimcherEthel C. Goodreds ’22*Edna Rieck Graham T’11*Mary Houston Griffin W’21*Jeanne Logan Hardie ’34*Rosanne Isay Harrison ’56Jean Murray Johnson ’27*Lida B. Johnston*Eugene S. KerberJames Craighead Kuhn*Lucille Showalter Leggett ’11*Louise Baldridge Lytle ’51Jocelyn Hulme MacConnell ’43Carole Oswald Markus ’57Gertrude Dally Massie W’18*Marga Matheny ’64Anne Forncrook McCloskey ’45*Beverlee Simboli McFadden ’55Edith Allerton Miller*Mrs. Frances P. MinnoDr. Alexander M. Minno *Frances Alter Mitchell ’30 *Judy Apt Nathenson ’69*Jane Bortman Porter ’43*Henry Posner IIIJane Dunn Prejean ’36 *Eleanor M. Reilly,Honorary Alumna*Alan D. Riester*Susan Criep Santa-Cruz ’60Jennifer M. ScanlonDorothy Dodworth Scullin ’47Dr. Richard E. SiglerBonnie Solomon ’48*Marianna Epstine Specter ’58*Janet L. Stevenson ’16*Molly Cannon Stevenson ’72Allyson Baird Sveda ’84F. Irene Thomas, Honorary AlumnaRuth Weimer Tillar ’41Rosalie Morris Voorhis *Gaylen WestfallCarol Spear Williams ’57Norma Weis Wilner ’40 **DeceasedIf you have included WT in your plans, please let us know so that you can be properly thanked and welcomed into the Miss Mitchell Society.For more information, contact Gaylen Westfall, Director of Development and Alumnae/i Relations, at (412) 578-7530 or westfallg@winchesterthurston.org.24 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

In MemoriamNancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37, 1919-2009In December 2009 Winchester Thurston lost one of the mostimportant leaders in its recent history. Nancy SteigerwaltDwyer ’37, a delightful, energetic, and provocative woman,had a lifelong relationship with the school.Sh e b e g a n h e r s t u d i e s a tWinchester School in thirdgrade and graduated in 1937. Shewas very close to Winchester Schoolfounder Mary A. Graham Mitchell, andserved as President of the AlumnaeAssociation the year Miss Mitchell died,1947. Dwyer cochaired the campaignto raise funds to purchase the schoolfrom Miss Mitchell’s estate; she wasinstrumental in establishing the firstBoard of Trustees. Her son, Court,attended WT in 1953 when boys couldenroll in Kindergarten. Dwyer wasnamed Alumna of the Year in 1987 andbecame a member of the Miss MitchellSociety in 2005.Dwyer wrote extensively about herexperiences at WT. We felt that sharingsome excerpts of her recollections andreflections would be a fitting tributeto a woman who embodied the spirit,values, and excellence of WT.Impressions of Miss Mary A. Graham Mitchell...Gaining the top step, I bravely reached out my hand to Miss Mary A.Graham Mitchell herself, and curtsied. Looking up at her I had theimpression of a slightly overstuffed, comfortable sofa pillow…Shewore a white shirt with a high collar that presented an ornamentalpin covering the top button. Her hair was…piled high on the top ofher head and coiled into a flat plate. I’d never seen anything like itbefore, nor have I since.She had a wonderful face; strong straight eyebrows abovethe china blue eyes…They were kind eyes that made you knowshe brooked no nonsense but made you know she heard you…Sheextended a hand, palm down, but when I slipped my hand into hers,she gave me a gentle squeeze.Reflections on the credo, “Think also of the comfort andthe rights of others”...Miss Mitchell told me that, “You must always read the saying on thelanding,” and read it to me in her beautiful soft voice, “Think alsoof the comfort and the rights of others.” As we climbed the stairs, itnever entered my mind those letterswould be burned into my memoryduring the next nine years, or that75 years later I would still strive tohonor them.On learning to read...Miss Philput said, “Nancy, don’t readone word at a time. String themtogether like beads and take themeaning out of the sentence. Youhave a quick mind; make the wordstalk to you.” To this day, Shakespearereally does talk to me. The key thatunlocked the puzzle was Mary Philput.On Miss Ruth Gamsby...Miss Gamsby was the female twinof the Man of La Mancha: very tall,hair escaping its pins, and limbsgoing in all directions at once. I shallnever forget the day the Duke ofWindsor, the as yet uncrowned King,announced his abdication from the throne of England. Miss Gamsby,English to the core—born and bred—brought a radio to class so wecould hear “Dear David” announce. We cried with her.On Study Hall...Another innovation I experienced as I left the Lower School…for theUpper School, was study hall. No more cozy little school nooks; thiswas big knowledge. Books, maps, dictionary, graph paper, triangles,pencils, notebooks, time sheets, desks…This was a milestone, anddid I ever love that desk! With the lid up I could hide behind it, andthe study hall monitor had no idea what I was into. I mimed all sortsof merriment…until the monitor would…send me to the library andyet another session with Miss Mitchell. Miss Mitchell and I got to befrequent greeters.The gift of a WT education...Although I was not the greatest scholar, I made up for it by usingthe tools from that toolbox with the initials “WT” on it that haveallowed me to live my life with a richness that could never be boughtby tuition alone, only through the miracle called a gift of knowledge.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g25

class notesclass notes2 0 0 7Michael D’Emilio wasaccepted into the Oberlinin Italy program, where hewill play Leporello in theirproduction of Don Giovanni.“It’s a big role and really oneI’ve dreamed of playing, so I’mvery happy,” says Michael.2 0 0 6Jessica Schwartz writes,“The summer following myfreshman year in 2007, mysister, mom, and I volunteeredin Tanzania for a month. Theexperience compelled usto start a non-profit. Bricks+ Books= Foundation forLearning in Tanzania supportsrural government schools byinvesting in infrastructureprojects in villages thathave demonstrated interestand capability to workcollaboratively with us.and distinction in the liberalarts. In August, Andrew willbegin a year-long Master ofPublic Health program at TheDartmouth Institute for HealthPolicy and Clinical Practice.He is currently in the processof applying to medical schoolsand hopes to matriculate inthe summer of 2011. Andrewhas been active in creating theclass of 2006 page on mywt andwelcomes his classmates’ input.2 0 0 4Ian Sullivan was acceptedinto a master’s program atPitt’s Swanson School ofEngineering, where he intendsto study industrial engineering.He is still enjoying workingat Westinghouse and spendsquite a bit of time on the road.For fun, he is looking forwardto taking his first trip to NewOrleans in early June.2 0 0 1at an International PatentLaw Firm as an English andItalian Assistant, and Arturis working as a web designerand programmer. The weddingis planned for July 2010 inBuchenberg, with a smallreception to follow in the USthe following summer.Ryan Schulz resides inPittsburgh and is excited to befollowing her passion for artthrough photography as shedevelops her custom children’sphotography business. You cancheck out her work online atwww.rwschulz.com.began working as the AssistantCurator of Education at CarnegieMuseum of Art, managing schooland teacher programs. Sheenjoyed acting as guest educatorfor many students during WT’sTeenie Harris exhibition.Sally Allan, WT art teacher,and Becky Utech Gaugler ‘99We have successfully built oneschool, created sustainablepartnerships with three ruralschools, and have improvedthe quality of education forover 2,500 students.” Formore information: www.bricksandbooks.orgAndrew Wickerhamgraduated from ColgateUniversity, where he was acandidate for honors in historyAngela Ambroz writes, “I’vebeen working in Hyderabad,India, since June 2009 withMIT’s Poverty Action Lab.I'm currently managing ahousehold survey for a reporton the impact of microfinanceon the urban poor. I sold myfourth science fiction shortstory, which appeared inExpanded Horizons magazinein May 2010.”Emily Flechtner and ArturWachelka were engagedon July 31, while campingon a lake south of Munich,Germany. They reside inMunich, where Emily isstudying for a Masters inIntercultural Communicationand Cooperation and workingTara McGovern ‘00 andClaire Blaustein ‘00 inWashington, DC at WTHappy Hour in May1 9 9 9Becky Utech Gauglerand her husband, Jonathan,recently moved back toPittsburgh after living inBrooklyn for almost fouryears. In January, BeckyJonah Block, son of AziMasalehdan Block ‘98, bornNovember 29, 20091 9 9 7Meridith Deluzio Pettigrewwrites, “We are expecting a newaddition to our family! Kayla willhave a new baby brother or sisterin August. We are so excited tomeet our new little one!”1 9 9 5Kristin Trabucco writes, “I’mstill in LA doing the film thing,so if anyone’s out this way, lookme up!”26 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

class notesmy teaching career. It’s beengreat to reconnect with manyWT friends on Facebook. Allthe best to everyone!”1 9 9 2Rupali Kotwal Doshi ‘96and her husband, SaumilShailesh Doshi, are proud toannounce the birth of theirson, Arjun Kotwal Doshi,on April 29, 2010 inAtlanta, GA.1 9 9 4Erin Herward Thurstonwrites, “I am still livingin Northern VA with myhusband, Adam, and our twowonderful sons. Patrick isthree, and Liam is one. Thethree of them are the joy ofmy life. But I am also blessedto have 44 curious andenthusiastic Kindergartenerswith whom I share my daysat Churchill Road ElementarySchool, part of the FairfaxCounty Public Schools. Itis great to be back teachingKindergarten again aftermy time in Pre-K andKindergarten at WT early inPam Scully ‘81 and ErinHerward Thurston ‘94 inWashington, DC at WT HappyHour in MayAndria Barnes writes, “Iam currently living in thehistoric city of Nuremberg andworking as a Business andTechnical English trainer forSiemens. I received my Mastersin International Businessand Management from theUniversity of Applied SciencesOsnabrueck in 2007 and havebeen living and teaching inGermany for five years now.I am still single and have oneson, Saif, 11 years old, who isattending the Bertold BrechtGymnasium (public collegeprep school) and playingsoccer for the local team herein Nuremberg. I have happilyreconnected with some of myold classmates recently and stillhave many fond memories ofmy years at WT, where I wasvery much supported in my firstexchange abroad to Germany.”Jan Kniffen and KathleenMetinko ‘91 with their newdaughter, Alexandra RoseKniffen1 9 9 1April Lee and Ralph Mazzolaare proud to announce the birthof their third child, Paola LeeMazzola, on December 17, 2009.Brennan James Gabler, son ofJennifer Deklewa Gabler ‘94,born May 1, 20101 9 8 4Bari Weinberg Philips hasbeen living in Columbus, OH,for the past 20 years with herhusband, David, and threechildren—Noah, 18, Cody, 15,and Zoe, 12. Her eldest childgraduated from high school inJune and starts college in thefall. “A big hello to all of myformer WT classmates!Allyson Baird Sveda is livingin Pittsburgh with her husbandand two sons. Both boys, Drewand Robby, are students at WT!1 9 8 2Sharon Reidbord writes,“I moved to Lexington, MA,and am launching an onlineJosie Poldosky ‘84 and LoriFineman ‘84 in WashingtonDC, at a May WT Happy HourTara Furigay Keppler ’87and Nina Coslov A’89 coauthoredthe book Food forThoughtful Parenting—12Must-Have Lists forNew Parents and YoungFamilies, in 2009. Theymet in Boston where eachlives with her husband andchildren.business. If you have thankyou notes to send, check outTrueThanks.com, and we'llsend your thank you noteselectronically with 24% of thelow payment going to a charityyou choose.”1 9 8 1Beth Morrow Katz had lunchwith Edie Hommel Cowan ’60and Gaylen Westfall in Marin,CA, in February. Beth is takinga break from law, serving as anactive volunteerin her twins’Kindergartenclass. She saidthat WT, grades3-12, was veryinstrumentalin her life, andremembers JaneScarboroughfondly.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g27

class notesclass notes1 9 7 9Peggy Jo VanderbeckThomas writes, “Early thisyear, my husband Dan and Icelebrated our 22nd weddinganniversary. Our 13-year-olddaughter, Shellby has beenenjoying her third year as ahomeschooler. This fall, we bothlook forward to her freshmanyear in high school, as I steelmyself for teaching Algebra(not one of my fine points)! Icontinue to teach piano, care formy father and family, and studyand share God's revealed Word.WT visitors are welcome here!”The Thomases live in northwestCT with Peggy Jo's 91-year-oldfather.1 9 7 7Adrienne Statti writes, “Mymother, Anna Mae Statti,passed away in January. Iam currently working as alaboratory technician withParexel, Inc. in Glendale, CAwhile working on my MedicalTechnology degree at CaliforniaState University Northridge.”1 9 7 6Leonie Thompson Sinclairwrites, “I have spent my timesince WT graduating with alaw degree, then working asa solicitor in my hometownof Nowra in Australia, a two-and-a-half hour drive southof Sydney. My practice ismostly family law, and I ama partner in a three-partnerfirm. I have three daughterswho all live in Sydney. Theeldest, Emily, has finished hermarketing degree and worksfor the Intercontinental HotelGroup. Rebecca, the middledaughter, is studying townplanning and finishes this year,and the youngest, Claire, isstudying marketing and PR. Iremarried in 2008; hence the‘Sinclair’ family name. Doug isa helicopter pilot in the Navywhere he teaches new pilotshow to fly helicopters. We liveon the beach front on the coastout of Nowra in a little villageof 3,000 people. I have beenlearning to fly and have passedmy flying test. Doug and I havebuilt a small aircraft from a kit,and we plan to travel aroundAustralia.”1 9 7 4Heidi Kanterman Freedmanwrites, “I am still teaching Pre-Kin upstate New York, and myhusband, Glenn, is a mechanicalengineer working in the nuclearnavy program with Bechtel.My son, Andrew, is majoring incriminal justice, and daughter,Hillary, is currently at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitalinterning in the dieteticprogram. She recently becameengaged to be married to awonderful guy, and the weddingplans are in full swing!”Class of 1976 in April at Cape May (top): Kathleen ScottGallagher, Mary Odom, and Lisa Sorce Aiba; (middle): JoAnnGoble Schaub, Stacy Jannis Tamerlani, and Heather MacIsaac(bottom): Louise Ketchum, Claire Blume Thomas, SusanDunmire, and Julia Marous StrautClass of 1976 in April at Cape May (seated): JoAnn GobleSchaub, Stacy Jannis Tamerlani, and Kathleen Scott Gallagher;(standing): Heather MacIsaac, Claire Blume Thomas, Lisa SorceAiba, Louise Ketchum, Mary Odom, and Karen Hughes1 9 7 1Christine Larson writes,“Being here in Pittsburgh inFebruary (to endlessly shovel)has resolved us to move to thebeach in southwest Florida!Mindy Ryan A‘71 was herefor Christmas with her brother,Tyce, and they both lookterrific. Mindy is also workingon a move to southwest Florida.Would love to hear from (can'tsay 'old') classmates. Life ispretty good in our patch ofground. How about yours?”1 9 7 0Sally Weigler Golden writes,“I have moved to Charlotte, NC,because of my husband's jobtransfer. I welcome anyone tocontact me when visitingor passing through Charlotte.I hope to attend our 40threunion this fall!”28 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

class notesclass notes1 9 6 0Beverly Diebold Green writes,“I had lost touch with WT sinceI have lived in Florida since1965, but planning the reunionhas been a treat. Everyone hasbeen delightful and I hopeto see everyone in October. Ihave two sons from my firstmarriage, a minister and alawyer, and was remarried toa wonderful man in 1981 whohad four children. I workedas a software engineer for 21years and retired in 1998. Ireceived another B.S., this onein nursing, but after working asa nurse decided I didn’t like it.My husband died two years agoand I’m just starting to feel likemyself again. Not working now,but biking and training my newAustralian Shepherd.”1 9 5 8Judith Ellenbogen writes,“Perhaps our 50th reunionsparked nostalgia forPittsburgh! My husband and Idecided to spend the months ofJuly, August, and September inPittsburgh this year. It would benice to connect with any of youwho are going to be in town thissummer. I can be reached onmy cell phone: (847) 977-8607so feel free to give me a call.”Linda Lear writes, “I want towrite about my rediscoveredalumna friend Jean ClarkYount ‘45 (and Smith College’49). Jean is the mother ofthe Rev. Amy Yount whowith her husband, NathanPrice, belongs to our parishchurch in Bethesda, MD.Jean, known as “Gigi,” is thefabulous grandmother ofPam Shaw, Honorary Alumna and hermother, Anne Shaw, on her 100th birthday.Wesley and Cara Price. Hernurturing of them is a vitalfoundation of their lives. Jeanlives in Chevy Chase, MD, nearAmy and Nathan. He teachesenvironmental science atGeorgetown Visitation Schoolin Washington, DC. Rev. AmyYount is the Head of the MiddleSchool at St. Patrick’s School inWashington. I first met Amywhen she was a newly mintedpriest at the National CathedralSchool, where she served as achaplain to the Lower School,and I, long ago, a historyteacher. It has been wonderfulto rediscover Jean Clark Yountas a WT sister. She laid out alot of the creative paths the restof us have had the privilege offollowing.”1 9 5 5Elizabeth Forstall Keenwrites, “Don and I are well, keepbusy, and continue to enjoythis good Florida life. Our latestadventure took us to Egypt andJordan—beautiful and so full ofhistory. We have now visited 26countries and look forward tovisiting many more.”1 9 5 4Brenda WiseMoffitt writes,“I'm still goingto Jacksonville,FL, every sixto eight weeksto see my fourgrandsons—ages16, 14, 11, and 8.I went to Hawaiifor my nephew’swedding. Hisfather was mybrother, Peter,who was killedin a plane crash in 1984. I stillplay tennis and paddle tennis,but had to give up golf. I’vebeen living in the same house inPittsburgh for 43 years and havedecided to stay after looking atcondos. I’m in touch with KikiMcConnel, Janet RothmanMarkel, Polly Templeton,Diane Willey Green, BobbieMoritz, Jeanne Arthur, andDarin Geise Snyder. Our 50threunion was wonderful, and Istill think of it often.”1 9 5 3Betsy Riddle Ruderfer writes,“I am working hard on plans forthe Biennial Conference of TheNational Society of The ColonialDames of America (NSCDA)to be held in October of thisyear. In addition, Iam continuing withmy quest to keepthe music of ‘TheAmerican Songbook’alive. I appear at theTrattoria da FrancoItalian Restaurant inAlexandria, VA, withwonderful pianistHerb Greenlee. I alsosing with the Not SoModern Jazz Quartet,a local traditional and Dixiejazz group. Emil and I visitedNew Orleans recently and hitsome of the jazz venues. I willbe back in Pittsburgh in July tohelp celebrate the 100th yearof the little elementary school Iattended, Rosslyn Farms School.It is no longer a school, but thoseof us who matriculated there arecoming back. I look forward tovisiting the dear old house whereI was born and raised beforemoving to Chatham Village andentering Winchester Thurston.All the best, and greetings tothose who might remember me!”1 9 5 2Marion MontgomeryColbourne writes, “I continueto be involved in many churchactivities including pastoralcare, bible study, and assistantfor communion at GraceHospital. My daughter, Jacquie,who lives in Indiana, was herefor a visit over Easter—greatfun. My eldest, Trish, now livesin my building, and Sandy isonly a 30 minute drive away. Allfive grandchildren seem to excelin whatever they undertake—study, sports, music, and work.The youngest two turned 16 inJune. Keeps me young!”30 T h i s t l e t a l k S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

class notesCynthia Hill Smith writes,“The past year has beendifficult. My husband, Rod,was ill for several years andpassed away in November. I’vehad lots of support from myson, Marc, and his family wholive a few minutes away in ourmountain village in NM. Mydays are full: spending timewith grandchildren, workingwith the Head Start programon the Mescalero ApacheReservation, and having a rolein the production of The VaginaMonologues. I remember beingtold so often at WT to thinkof the comfort and the rightsof others. I try to, and findit’s the best way to put one’sown problems into properperspective.”Gerda Rice Whitman ’47and Marion ThompsonKerwin ’42 had lunch withGaylen Westfall in Alexandria,VA, in May1 9 4 6Thelma Levin Levine livesin Boca Raton, FL, with herhusband. All is well!Three Winchester Thurston graduates, Lois Hertz Lesser ’45,Nancy Kamin Schlossberg ’47, and Ruth Friedman Ornitz ’46,reunited in Sarasota, FL, this past NovemberJean Ayars Pohli writes,“Many memories of ourdelightful San Francisco reunionin February. I recently wentback east to a wedding in NewJersey and to see Zoe, my greatgranddaughter.After spendingfour days with my favoritecousin, I came home to discoverthat Jenny also had a baby girl,Suzie! So, I am blessed with twogreat-granddaughters.1 9 4 3Joyce Runk Wenston andher husband, Bob, are living atSchenley Gardens after movingfrom Shadyside Manor. GaylenWestfall visited recently and Joycereminisced about playing fieldhockey at WT and a trip that sheand Winnie Schultz Carr ’43made to visit Marguerite TaberYates ’43 in New York City.Gaylen Westfall and WinnieSchultz Carr ’43 enjoyedlunch together in AprilAnna-Stina Ericson ’44 andValerie Roemer Lynn ’44 hadlunch with Gaylen Westfall inWashington, DC, in May1 9 4 1Ruth Weimer Tillar writes,“Spring has been busy with DARand Hospital Auxiliary trips toseveral VA cities. I also continuetraveling frequently to Williamand Mary for meetings, as wellas to VA Tech. My son, Tom,and I visited Tuscany in June.I enjoy very special telephonevisits often with MarionThompson Kerwin ‘42, myWT roommate for three years.”1 9 3 9Lois Kaplan Finkel ’39 andJane Blattner Kreimer ’40enjoyed lunch together inAspinwall on March 12, 2010.Jane recently moved back toPittsburgh from Ft. Lauderdaleand is now living in Oakmont.Lois and Jane have fondmemories of Miss Mitchell.Class NotesThe Pillared Portal is now online!Login to mywt, the Alumnae/i Portal atwww.winchesterthurston.org/mywt topost a Class Note, or send informationto Gaylen Westfall, Winchester ThurstonSchool, 555 Morewood Avenue,Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or westfallg@winchesterthurston.org.Class notes do not necessarily reflect the opinions ofWinchester Thurston School or the editors of Thistletalk.w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g31

I n M e m o r i a mThe following members of the WT community will be missed bytheir classmates, friends, students, and colleagues. We offer sincerecondolences to their families.Susanna (Coco) Corbett Santiago ’66, Summer 2009Sue Hill Morton ’45, October 23, 2009Mary Louise Armstrong Hamilton ’37, December 9, 2009Jane Soffel Connell ’51, December 16, 2009Bertha (Betty) Cohen Sikov ’35, December 17, 2009Nancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37, December 24, 2009Barbara Pierce Walker ’47, January 5, 2010Enoch Sisselsky, January 31, 2010 (math teacher 1981-1986)Mary Chambers Burdett ’43, February 3, 2010Sally Duff Kennedy ’50, March 6, 2010Gertrude Kneil ’42, March 17, 2010Susan Stickel Navarro ’63, March 19, 2010C o n d o l e n c e sTo Gloria Acklin Kreps ’77 and Deborah Acklin ’80, and toMrs. Gloria Acklin, retired WT English teacher, on the death of theirfather and her husband, James F. Acklin, November 19, 2009To Cynthia Hill Smith ’52 on the death of her husband, E. RodneySmith, November 17, 2009To Allison Levy ’75 on the death of her father, Dr. Reinhardt Levy,November 26, 2009To Alexander Karakatsanis ’01 on the death of his grandmother,Bertha (Betty) Cohen Sikov ’35, December 16, 2009To Court Dwyer, former WT Kindergarten student, on the death ofhis mother, Nancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37, December 24, 2009To Joan Soffel Carson ’51 on the death of her sister, Jane SoffelConnell ’51, December 16, 2009To Adrienne Statti ’77 on the death of her mother Anna MaeStatti, January 18, 2010To Danielle Chalfant ‘03 and Devon Chalfant A’09 on thedeath of their father, Dana Chalfant, October 4, 2009To Barbara Kraemer-Cook ’81 on the death of her brother PeterKraemer, April 7, 2010To Mary Hamilton Burroughs ’65 on the death of her motherMary Louise Armstrong Hamilton ’37, December 9, 2009To Margaret (Meg) McKean Taylor ’74, Lindsay McKeanScott ’77, and Mason McKean Hoeller ’79 on the death of theirmother, Suzanne (Sussie) McKean, February 1, 2010To Elizabeth (Betsy) Hurtt ’74 and Andrea Hurtt ’70 on thedeath of their mother, Eleanor St. Clair Hurtt, February 9, 2010To Phyllis Monheim Pollock ’84 on the death of her father, JamesGlick, March 20, 2010To Elinor Cowdrey Rust ’33 on the death of her husband, andMargot Hill Ball ’64 on the death of her stepfather, S. MurrayRust, Jr., April 6, 2010To Elizabeth Booth Ezerman ’60 on the death of her motherElizabeth C. “Lib” Shepherd, April 6, 2010To Caprice Pierucci Taniguchi ’78 and Rana Pierucci A ’83on the death of their father, Donald Pierucci, April 9, 2010Margery Pearlman Davis ’51 on the death of her husband DavidH. Davis, May 18, 2010To Victoria Brittain Seckel ’57 on the death of her husband, JerryEarl Seckel, August 4, 2009Save the Date!Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16Especially for the Classes of1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 19801985 1990 1995 2000 2005All alumnae/i are invited to attend!Visit classes, attend the festive annual cocktailparty on Friday night, and join a rousing gamefamilybarbeque. All Reunion events are complimentaryWe can't wait to see you!w w w . w i n c h e s t e r t h u r s t o n . o r g32

City as Our CampusTeresa DeFlitch Appointed asCity as Our Campus DirectorWinchester Thurston welcomes Teresa DeFlitchas Director of City as Our Campus. In this newposition, DeFlitch will lead WT’s efforts to expandand enhance its unique City as Our Campusinitiative and help other schools replicate it.DeFlitch says, “I am excited to build on theexcellent work that WT has done to establishCity as Our Campus. Anchored in the rigorouscurriculum of Winchester Thurston School, City asOur Campus benefits WT students and Pittsburghby providing hands-on experiences that empowerstudents to grow into engaged citizens andlifelong learners. The program exemplifies the best in education practice, encouragingstudents to become young entrepreneurs, ready to solve problems locally and globally.”DeFlitch distinguished herself from nearly 100 candidates by demonstrating her understandingof participatory pedagogy and civic engagement, as well as her innovativeideas on ways to showcase City as Our Campus regionally and nationally. “Teresaconvinced all of us that she has the energy, intelligence, creativity, and knowledge tolead our school in this exciting educational venture,” says Gary Niels, Head of School.DeFlitch comes to WT after serving as Project Manager at the National HistoryEducation Clearinghouse of George Mason University’s Center for History and NewMedia in Fairfax, Virginia, where she managed a major national history project fundedby the U.S. Department of Education.She has held several fellowships, including a Public Humanities Fellowship at the JohnNicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization, Brown University. Shehas presented at national and regional conferences and seminars on history and socialstudies education, museum program design, and the incorporation of digital mediainto teaching and learning practices, among others. A native of Western PA, DeFlitchholds a Master of Arts in American History from Syracuse University Maxwell School ofCitizenship and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Vincent College.Winchester Thurston SchoolADVISORY BOARD2010 - 2011Heather Arnet, Women and Girls Foundation ofSouthwest PennsylvaniaCarol R. Brown, Founding President and CEO,Pittsburgh Cultural TrustEsther L. Bush, President and CEO, Urban League ofGreater PittsburghRonald Cole-Turner, H. Parker Sharp Chair of Theologyand Ethics, Pittsburgh Theological SeminaryAradhna Dhanda, President and CEO, LeadershipPittsburgh Inc.Nathaniel Doyno ’02, Vice President, CleanTechnology, The Ecolibrium Group, President, DoynoConsulting LLCPatrick Dowd, Member of City Council, Pittsburgh CityCouncil District 7Lee B. Foster, President and CEO, L.B. Foster CompanyJudith Hallinen, Assistant Vice Provost for EducationalOutreach; Director, Leonard Gelfand Center forOutreach and Service LearningTori Haring-Smith, President, Washington andJefferson CollegeJohn T.S. Keeler, Dean and Professor, Universityof Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public andInternational AffairsJim Roddey, Chairman, Allegheny CountyRepublican Committee, Former Chief Executive,Allegheny CountyAlan J. Russell, Director, McGowan Institute forRegenerative MedicineAudrey Russo, President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Pittsburgh Technology CouncilLisa Schroeder, Executive Director, RiverlifeTask ForceSteven Sokol, President and Chief Executive Officer,World Affairs Council of PittsburghTom Sokolowski, Director, The Andy WarholMuseumJanera Solomon, Executive Director, Kelly-StrayhornTheaterJane Werner, Executive Director, Children‘s Museumof PittsburghThistleM A G A Z I N EThistletalk is published two times per year byWinchester Thurston School for alumnae/i,parents, students, and friends of the school.Letters and suggestions are welcome. ContactMaura Farrell, Winchester Thurston School, 555Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.EditorMaura FarrellAssistant Head for Planningfarrellml@winchesterthurston.orgAlumnae/i EditorGaylen WestfallDirector of Development andAlumnae/i Relationswestfallg@winchesterthurston.orgContributorsDavid AschkenasKathleen BishopDionne BrelsfordJason CohnJohn HolmesAshley Lemmon ‘01Lee Moses A‘98Jennifer ScanlonJonathan Springer ‘10Gaylen WestfallPrintingHerrmann PrintingDesignAnne FlanaganTALKSchool MissionWinchester Thurston School actively engageseach student in a challenging and inspiringlearning process that develops the mind,motivates the passion to achieve, and cultivatesthe character to serve.Core ValuesWe activate our Mission by creating a learningenvironment that promotes and instillsappreciation for these five Core Values: CriticalThinking, Integrity, Empathy, Community,and Diversity.Thistletalk content represents opinions, ideas,and perspectives of the authors that are notnecessarily those of the Trustees or Administrationof Winchester Thurston School. The editorsreserve the right to accept, reject, or edit anycontent submitted for publication in Thistletalk.Winchester Thurston School is a member of theNational Association of Independent Schools.Winchester Thurston School is accredited by thePennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.Winchester Thurston School does not discriminateon the basis of race, color, national andethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age,religion, or disability in the administration of itseducational policies, admission policies, financialaid programs, and athletics or other schooladministeredprograms.Copyright © 2010 Winchester Thurston School.All Rights Reserved.The Pillared Portalis now online!Join the WT alumnae/i community online andcatch up with friends old and new. Stay in touch.Share some news. Remember dear old WTtogether. It’s a whole new way to re-connect.Login to mywt:www.winchesterthurston.org/mywt Questions? Contact Gaylen Westfall at 412-578-7530 orwestfallg@winchesterthurston.orgScarlett Austin '09Ashwin Chandra '09Richard Markel '07Alisa Beverley '06Caryn Burgh '06Nicholas Leo '06Don Mike Mendoza '06Mark Frechione '04Michael Larson-Edwards '04Katlyn McGraw '03Malcolm Smith '03Emily Flechtner '01Carlos Macasaet '01Estrella Pena '01Byron Raco '01I used the alumnae/i directory toLook Who‘s HereAbby Ross '01Ryan Schulz '01Peter Scott '01Kerry Soso '01Emily Abbinanti '00Erinn Andrews '00Claire Blaustein '00Nadia Labeikovsky '00Andrew Santelli '00Seth Borland '99Teresina Cardamone-Rayner '99Alex Eversmeyer '99Kathryn Hawkins '99Amy Hirschman '99Sarah Arnold '98Alexandra Binsse '98Lisa Kay Davis '97Daniel Michelmore '97Sarah Fife '96Christopher Stigler '95Kristin Trabucco '95Ian Gould '94Erin Thurston '94Mara Falk '92Anastasia Leonard '92Dorothy McLaughlin '91Julie Urbano '89Constance Wong '89Jessica Bolger '88Holly Shea '88 Gretchen Biesecker '86Tracy Hawkins '86Julie Dever '85Allyson Sveda '84Michelle Washington '84Melissa Rizer '83Jennifer Sheehan '83Louise Schuster '82Marcie Katzen '81Cassandra Eccles '80Susan Vosburgh '80Laura Dinkin '79Cynthia Bulik '78Janice French '78Lindsay Scott '77It is really easy to log on,and mywt is a great way tostay up to date with allThese WT Alums have already logged in and used the portal to reconnect with classmates. Now it’s your turn. Log in today!Pamela Buongiorno '76Lizabeth Miller '76Holly Berkley '74Eleanor Giriyappa '74Wendy Hoechstetter '74Hallie Cohn '72Sally Golden '70Betsy Brandt '68Susan Harris '67Anne Pierpont '66Julia Shumway '66Robyn Alspach '65Caol Heape '65Helen Mar Parkin '65Katherine Paterson '65Joyce Butler '64Diana Tomb '64Linda MacMichael '62Barbara McKelvey '61Sara Ciborski '60Beverly Green '60Cynthia Field '59Katherine Anderson '58Kathryn Kruse '58Nancy Herpin '56Frances Hubbell '56Barbara Rogal '55Dana McCown '54Darin Snyder '54Marion Colbourne '52Ruth Collura '51Gerda Whitman '47