Duke School Under the Oak Magazine Fall 2016

Under the Oak 

FALL 2016 

Featuring the 2015-16 

Annual Fund Report 

CREATING... 

BOLD THINKERS 

UNDER THE OAK 

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Under the Oak 

DUKE SCHOOL CORE VALUES 

WHAT WE DO 

Inspire learners to boldly and creatively shape their future. 

IDEAS WE LIVE BY 

LEARNER-CENTERED 

Learners are the center of a dynamic and collaborative 

learning, inquiry and discovery process. 

ACTIVE INQUIRY 

Intellectual curiosity through project-based learning 

propels learners to explore multiple paths to creative solutions. 

BOLD THINKERS 

A deep love of learning and respect for our community 

forms bold, critical thinkers for life. 

WHY WE DO IT 

To prepare the next generation of problem solvers 

EDITORS 

WRITERS 

MAGAZINE DIRECTOR 

HEAD OF SCHOOL 

DESIGNER 

Madeline Allen 

Deryle A. Daniels, Jr. 

Willie Nicholson 

Ashley Schlax 

Irecka Smith 

Dave Michelman 

Gina Lorsson 

Duke School publishes Under the Oak annually for its 

alumni, parents, grandparents and friends. If you would 

like to add someone to our mailing list, please e-mail 

communications@dukeschool.org. We also welcome 

news about alumni for future publications; please e-mail 

alumni@dukeschool.org with this information. 

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INSIDE this issue 

MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL . ..................4 

Duke School – inspiring learners to boldly and creatively shape their 

future. 

WHY IT WORKS . ................................5 

Duke School’s core values enable inquiry and project-based curriculum. 

DUKE SCHOOL’S CREATION CLUBS . ................. 6-7 

Duke School’s Makers, Coders and 3Ders clubs. 

FACULTY IN THE FIELD . .......................... 8-9 

Creativity and lifelong learning: Q&A with teacher Candy Thompson. 

THE BEGINNING OF THE END. .................... 10-11 

Cassandra Taylor reflects on her family’s experience and diversity 

journey after 11 years at Duke School. 

LEADING BY EXAMPLE. ........................... 12 

Ben Herst ‘06 named “25 Under 25: Rising Stars in US-China 

Relations.” 

CREATING…FUTURE LEADERS. ...................... 13 

Lee Jeffries delivers her “Dream Speech” at a regional teen 

conference. 

STEVE SPEAKS: STAYING CONNECTED . ............... 14 

Steve Waterman reflects on his recent retirement from Duke School. 

CREATIVITY REWARDED . ......................... 15 

Kayla Pope’s artwork wins awards at the NC State Fair. 

Aram Lindroth ‘16 piano performance wins the 

2016 Youth Concerto Competition. 

ALUMNI ART SHOW. ........................... 16-18 

Alumni submit artwork for Duke School’s first Alumni Art Show. 

BOLDLY SHAPING A FUTURE. ....................... 19 

Daniel Germain ‘13 accelerates his educational journey. 

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS: ALWAYS A DRAGON. ........ 20-21 

Celebrating the destinations of 2012 and 2016 grads. 

LEAVING A LEGACY. ............................. 22 

Support Duke School by making a bequest. 

2015-16 ANNUAL FUND REPORT. .................. 23-34 

Celebration and recognition of the Honor Roll of Donors. 

ON THE COVER: 

Duke School alumnus and student prepare a forge for the 2016 

Makers Faire. 

INSIDE OF THE COVER: 

Students and faculty use the oak tree as a regular meeting place and 

refer to it as U.T.O.T. (under the oak tree). 

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Message from Dave Michelman, Head of School 

Duke School’s mission statement exhorts us to 

inspire learners to boldly and creatively shape 

their future. In today’s rapidly changing world, 

only the intellectually nimble and bold survive. 

Success is achieved by those who are able to 

quickly understand a many-faceted situation and 

respond boldly. Duke School’s program is better 

designed to help form such thinkers than any other 

that I am aware of. Students who 

are given autonomy to help direct 

their learning are appreciated as 

partners with their teachers in 

mastering material, and tackle big 

issues through interdisciplinary 

projects have a leg up on students 

who are asked to absorb and 

regurgitate material presented 

by an all-knowing teacher. Thankfully, the school 

is continuing to build stronger relationships with 

our alumni and the evidence of bold thinkers is 

everywhere. Duke School graduates, the Duffer 

Brothers ‘99 are receiving national acclaim for 

their Netflix series, Stranger Things. Furthermore, 

local caterer Jacob Boehm ‘03 is creating a 

phenomenon with his pop-up dinners. One even 

popped up at Duke School and each of the nine 

memories. Speaking of food, graduate Katie 

Meddis (Gulla) ‘95 is co-owner and baker at 

Rose’s Meats and Sweets and her baked goods 

are earning acclaim throughout the triangle and 

the butcher bakery shop was recognized as Bon 

Appetit America’s Best New Restaurant in 2014. 

We are also thankful for a very strong and creative 

class of parents who have partnered with the 

school to ensure that together 

we are preparing the next 

generation of problem solvers for 

our complex world. As the apple 

doesn’t fall far from the tree, we 

also celebrate the boldness and 

creativity of our current students. 

Their accomplishments both on 

campus and outside of Duke 

School, speaks volumes to their development as 

critical thinkers, contributors to their community 

and change agents in a time that matters the most. 

In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem El Dorado, a pilgrim 

seeking El Dorado is told that he must ride, boldly 

ride, to find it. I hope our entire Duke School 

community continues to search for El Dorado. I 

am certain that our students and alums are boldly 

riding into their futures. 

courses referred to one of Jacob’s Duke School 

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Why it Works 

from the desk of... 

Kathy 

Bartelmay 

Recently, my colleague Smokey Daniels e-mailed 

me. He’s writing the last chapter for a book 

on incorporating inquiry work in kindergarten 

through sixth grade classrooms. “I want to know 

how you guys at Duke School continue to grow 

and expand on your inquiry approaches, growing 

from your strong and long commitment to that 

work.” 

It was a wonderful assignment for a curriculum 

director. What are the critical success factors 

in building a consistent and coherent inquirybased 

project program? My Project Institute 

co-leader Jenny Murray and I collaborated on 

this assignment for Smokey’s book. Here’s a 

condensed version: 

Two core beliefs have enabled Duke School 

to continue its inquiry-based projects over the 

decades. First, is the clear understanding by all 

members of our community - Board of Trustees, 

administrators and teachers - that the school’s 

primary mission is to prepare the next generation 

of problem-solvers for our complex world. To 

accomplish this, all classes engage in three six-toeight 

week projects, often curriculum based, per 

year. Through this work, students are taught the 

process of exploring and observing their world, 

asking deep questions, conducting investigations 

and working collaboratively to share their findings 

with a larger audience. On any given day, one 

might see kindergarten children, clipboards in 

hand, interviewing a veterinarian about ways to 

take care of pets. Meanwhile, three fifth graders 

are interviewing the Middle School director 

regarding ways the daily schedule at the Middle 

School helps fulfill the school’s mission to create 

problem solvers for their project, Duke School: 

The Inside Story. Throughout its history, Duke 

School has remained relentlessly focused on 

inquiry-based project work at all levels. 

The second core belief is that great inquiry work 

doesn’t with MICHAEL happen overnight. GILBERT It grows and develops 

over time. In the same manner that our students 

conduct inquiries, teachers and administrators 

keep track of their questions and wonderings. It 

was just a few years ago that upper Lower School 

and Middle School teachers expressed concerns 

that student project work was not as deep as it 

might be. Having just read Comprehension and 

Collaboration (Harvey and Daniels, 2009), their 

directors suggested we invite Smokey Daniels 

to do a two-day inquiry institute at the school. 

The institute surpassed expectations and led to 

an ongoing relationship with the consultant. In 

June, Sylvia Chard, the “mother” of The Project 

Approach will return to train selected Duke School 

teachers to be Project Approach consultants. 

As Jenny and I finished our musings about our 

long-standing commitment to project work, I 

spent time with Duke School alumna, Madeline 

Allen ‘08. Madeline recently graduated from 

Davidson College. We had a wonderful time 

reminiscing and she reminded me of the spider 

project she did in Katrina and Madeline’s first grade. 

“Katrina and Madeline were so flexible. What 

started as a small project resulted in a year-long 

study due to our fascination with the topic. Duke 

School teachers taught me to study what I was truly 

passionate about and how to build a relationship 

with teachers to help me with my questions. 

Through that, I learned how to synthesize 

information and articulate what I learned.” 

“I loved college but Davidson was a very rigorous 

place. We had research projects and presentations 

every other week. That was foreign for some of 

my peers, but for me, it was an extension of what I 

experienced daily at Duke School for many years. 

I mean, I was doing presentations at Duke School 

when I was three.” 

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CREATION CLUBS 

In a learnercentered 

school, 

Duke School’s Creation 

Clubs – Makers, Coders 

and 3Ders, are a natural fit! 

What began in 2014 with nine 

students has grown to over 

60 Makers and more than 

50 Coders and 3Ders in 

the past year. 

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Duke School’s Creation Clubs brings together 

a community of young people with mentors 

for an experience that encourages discovery 

and exploration. As a Maker, Coder or 3Der, 

students are given an opportunity to develop 

confidence, express creativity and interest in science, 

Duke 

School Makers is 

a community of makers 

who share our knowledge, 

tools, ideas and creativity. 

During our after school club, 

students craft, felt, take apart 

machines, build catapults, code, 

create stop motion animations, 

create documentaries, and 

generally explore anything 

that sparks their 

interest. 

What is a Maker? 

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technology, engineering, math, and art. 

“We believe in the importance of access to meaningful making experiences 

for every child and that it has a transformative impact on their everyday life,” 

teachers Willie Nicholson, seventh grade science and project teacher, and 

Katie Christo, director of technology curriculum and innovation say. “Most 

importantly, it incorporates fun and creativity with a deep love of learning.” 

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000100 01100101 

What is a Coder? 

Duke School Coders is 

a drop-in club that meets 

during the school day. Students 

can learn to code in a variety of 

languages and explore game 

and app creation. 

Nina Wayne ‘16, used the 3D 

printer at Duke School to create 

a prosthetic hand for her eighth 

grade project. 

Eric Horlbeck ‘14, used 3D 

printing to create a portable 

bluetooth speaker. 

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00100000 

Duke School 3Ders 

is a drop-in club that 

What is a 3Der? 

meets during the school day. 

Eighth grader Gabe Hart 

explained the parts of a 

computer during the 2016 Digital 

World Project Culmination. 

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Students use CAD programs to 

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create 3D designs that may be 

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printed on Duke School’s 3D 

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printer. 

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Duke School’s 3Ders helped 

adults make 3D models at the 

Durham County Library’s Makers 

Day in 2014. 

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FACULTY 

IN THE FIELD 

with Candy Thompson 

Q With over 28 years of experience as Duke School’s Lower School PE 

teacher, you continue thinking outside of the box to create new physical 

education activities and lessons that are both enriching and engaging. 

What would you say is the key to creative and innovative teaching? 

A For me, the key is teaching at Duke School. 

I am surrounded by creativity and innovation every 

day — it is simply part of our culture. Since I was 

hired as Duke School’s first PE teacher in 1988, I 

have felt a strong responsibility to create a quality 

program that reflected the values of Duke School. 

I have been given the freedom, trust and support 

to make that happen. A generous budget, smaller 

class sizes and a manageable class schedule have 

been key. The most important factor, however, 

has been Duke School’s commitment to lifelong 

learning. I have attended conferences and 

workshops regularly, borrowing ideas from some 

phenomenal PE teachers across the country. 

Invariably, I come back from those opportunities 

feeling like I have the greatest job in the world. 

Hopefully, that enthusiasm and enjoyment has 

resulted in our students developing similar positive 

feelings about physical activity, both now and in 

the future. 

answers were enlightening. Many students said 

they enjoyed the cooperative nature of the game 

and being able to help others. Others mentioned 

the problem-solving component. One student 

said that he liked playing Titanic because it was 

based on a real-life event. Another said he liked 

the pressure that came from taking risks! Some of 

the older students commented that they enjoyed 

it because the game changes from year to year 

with increasingly more difficult challenges. When I 

came up with the game in 1998, it was meant to be 

a one-time thing in tribute to the James Cameron 

movie that was popular at the time. I had no idea 

that it would become essentially the signature 

game for Lower School PE. It has undergone 

several incarnations since its inception and there 

seems to be no limit to the ways we can tweak it to 

make it even more challenging and enjoyable. The 

last several years, our eighth graders have even 

come back for one final voyage before graduation. 

It’s been a gift that keeps on giving! 

Q When eighth graders and alumni are asked 

to share their favorite Duke School memory, the 

game “Titanic” is often noted. What makes this 

particular game a favorite for many of your current 

and former students? 

Q As a mother of two Duke School graduates 

– Laura (Class of 1998) and Stephen (Class of 

2000), what have you appreciated most about the 

education they received at Duke School? 

A Funny you should ask . . . earlier this year, I 

asked some of my classes that very question. The 

A I have often said that a Duke School education 

was the greatest gift that I could have given my 

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children. We talk about fostering a love of learning 

here, but I saw it realized in my own children. The 

Project Approach, as well as their amazing teachers, 

led them to an intrinsically motivated quest 

for knowledge. They were able to pursue their 

interests and develop control and ownership of 

their learning within the context of those projects. I 

think my daughter managed to channel her love of 

horses into every single project in Middle School 

– from being the saddle and harness maker in the 

fifth grade Colonial Project to putting together 

an equine literary publication as her eighth grade 

project. Stephen credits Duke School with making 

him a well-rounded individual, specifically with 

strong verbal and written communication skills, 

unlike the stereotypical engineer. Fortunately, 

both have been able to embark on careers based 

on interests that were fostered during their Duke 

School years. 

would happen during the school day, and I vividly 

remember asking the Lower and Middle School 

directors if we could get out of class to “jump rope 

on the radio.” After some very puzzled looks, they 

both approved and we had a great time jumping 

for passing shoppers in the Harris Teeter parking 

lot. 

Two years ago, I was honored when a Middle 

School student asked me to help him with his 

eighth grade project. He had attended Space 

Camp in Alabama and was interested in devising 

some astronaut training activities that he could 

then share with some Lower School students. 

We came up with nine different activity stations 

that simulated a space walk, weightlessness, 4G 

spins and more. The students loved it and I was 

delighted to reconnect and actually collaborate 

with my former student. 

Q There are many things that happen on and 

off campus that exemplifies the uniqueness of Duke 

School and its community. What is your favorite 

#OnlyAtDukeSchool moment? 

A Really? After 28 years, you want me to pick 

one moment? Impossible! Here are a few: In the 

late 1990’s, we had jump rope demonstration 

team called “Dragonfire.” 

We participated in a few 

competitions but mainly 

performed at various 

local events. On several 

occasions, we jumped 

at gatherings benefiting 

Duke Children’s Hospital. 

One year, I was contacted 

by a local radio station 

(Mix 101.5). They were doing a remote broadcast 

from the Harris Teeter on Guess Road as part 

of their annual radiothon and asked if we could 

perform during the broadcast. The performance 

“I am surrounded by 

creativity and innovation 

every day – it is simply 

part of our culture.” 

After moving from Hull Avenue to our new digs on 

Erwin Road, the Lower School director asked me to 

look into replacing the aging/deteriorating stage 

curtains in the gym. After getting a price from a 

local firm, I decided to try to get an estimate from 

an online vendor. I found one with a user-friendly 

Web site and supplied the required measurements 

for the estimate. Shortly after submitting the 

information, I received a 

phone call from one of 

the owners. She wanted 

me to verify that we were 

indeed Duke School in 

Durham, NC and wanted 

to know how I came to 

contact them. I explained 

that they were somewhat 

close by (Maryland) and 

that they had a very user-friendly Web site. She 

then dropped the bombshell that her grandson 

was a student at Duke School and that she and her 

husband would like to give us the new curtains! 

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THE BEGINNING 

OF THE END 

by Cassandra Taylor 

Cassandra and Wayne Taylor’s daughter, 

Lauren ‘16, entered Duke School as a threeyear-old, 

and is now a freshman at the 

Durham School of the Arts. 

When our family decided to join Duke School 

in 2005, it was a really tough decision for us. 

The major questions for us were would our 

daughter thrive as a student, and would we be 

comfortable here as a diverse family? Most of you 

probably didn’t consider these same questions. 

As we reflect back to the beginning, during our 

second year at Duke School, I think about the 

day my daughter noticed, as a four-year-old, 

and announced to me one afternoon that she 

was “the only one with brown skin in my whole 

school.” For a preschooler, the school universe 

is within the preschool building, which was on 

Hull Avenue at that time. As heartbreaking as her 

revelation was, and as I continued to question 

our decision to join, I was able to muster my 

response...”That makes you REALLY special. ”My 

mind immediately started churning with all sorts 

of ideas because I knew there would have to 

be changes if we would remain at Duke School, 

where we prayed she would thrive and we would 

be comfortable, as a family. And, as parents of 

an only child, I knew we had a single opportunity 

to make changes for her, and there was no time 

to waste. I began by joining the community 

Diversity Committee and quickly coordinated 

an evening diversity discussion for the school, 

facilitated by Angela Bryant of VISIONS, Inc. 

There were small group discussions led by the 

Diversity Committee, which included parents, 

faculty and administrators. Those discussions 

significantly influenced the themes and initiatives 

for improving diversity as we moved forward. In 

short, they were: 1) Recruit, retain, and embrace 

faculty, staff, students, families, and board 

members of color. 2) Recognize, embrace, and 

celebrate the diversity and multiculturalism 

within our community. 3) Ensure the curriculum 

and messages communicate clearly to our 

children about diversity. Next, I joined the 

Board of Trustees in 2007, which was comprised 

of mostly white men. I served two successive 

terms, took one year off and began a third 

three-year term in 2014. I believe my board 

tenure is historical, and the transformation of 

the Board’s demographics has been amazing. 

During this journey, we established the first 

ever Board Diversity Committee to develop and 

guide strategic initiatives for the school. And, 

the community Diversity Committee continued 

to plan and orchestrate community events. The 

work of both committees shines through these 

accomplishments, just to name a few: In the last 

six years, student racial and ethnic diversity has 

increased from 24% to 29% while employee 

diversity has increased from 8% to 13%. We 

have featured a number of guest speakers who 

have engaged parents and employees about 

various diversity and cultural competency topics. 

Diversity has become one of the annual goals 

established by all employees, the Leadership 

Team and the Board. 

Duke School has partnered with Tiffany 

Taylor Smith, of TR Taylor Consulting to work 

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with employees and the Board on cultural 

competency. In late 2015, as a community, 

we took the Assessment of Inclusivity and 

Multiculturalism (AIM) survey, sponsored by the 

National Association of Independent Schools 

(NAIS) which provided valuable feedback from 

parents, faculty, older students and alumni. This 

feedback will help guide the next steps. The 

International potluck dinner has attracted more 

and more attendees each year since its inception 

three years ago. This year, an added feature was a 

parent discussion about cultural competency, led 

by Tiffany Taylor Smith. 

Several faculty have 

attended the People 

of Color Conference 

(POCC); expanding 

opportunities for 

sharing and learning. 

The Board level 

Diversity Committee 

and the Leadership 

Team established goals, 

initiatives and strategies 

to increase cultural 

competency, act as 

diversity ambassadors, 

and ensure Duke 

School’s commitment to improving diversity. 

I’m excited to share this list of examples that 

highlights so many changes that have occurred 

over the past 11 years that I’m very proud to say 

were a result of my initial and ongoing efforts, 

and so many of yours. In 2015, I (along with Elise 

Dunzo) was nominated by Duke School as a 

Leader in Diversity and we were both recognized 

as winners by the Triangle Business Journal! 

But, we cannot rest on our laurels since diversity 

work is never ending, and there’s always a new 

beginning. Getting to this point was not 

easy, or fast, and over the years there have been 

some really hard discussions and tough situations 

surrounding diversity, or the lack thereof, at Duke 

School. But, because of so many who recognized 

the importance of diversity, and believed in its 

strength, our beginning has ended. Recently, I 

entered the campus while the kindergartners and 

first graders were at recess and I was extremely 

proud to see so many colorful children playing 

together, and there was not an “only one with 

brown skin.” As another confirmation, when 

we attended our LAST 

End of Year Party, I met 

several NEW diverse 

families who will join 

Duke School in the 

fall! I told them I’m 

happier for them than 

they are for themselves, 

because I know what 

they’re getting – the 

best preschool through 

eighth grade education 

ever, in a wonderful 

community! Now, 

almost 11 years later, 

the answers to our initial 

questions are clear for us. We have made many 

lasting friendships, enjoyed some wonderful 

times together, made impactful statements, and 

above all, our daughter has definitely thrived at 

Duke School. She is an excellent and talented 

student and a thoughtful and kind person. Duke 

School has prepared her very well to enter high 

school at Durham School of the Arts, as she 

continues to amaze us as a problem solver in our 

complex and diverse world. We will miss so much 

about Duke School. 

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LEADING... 

BY EXAMPLE 

Ben Herst has accomplished a lot in his life since 

graduating from Duke School in 2006. “ Looking 

back, I feel that Duke School empowered me as 

an individual to navigate a variety of learning and 

life situations, which has allowed me to thrive,” 

he said. Named one of Yale’s 2015 “ 25 Under 

25: Rising Stars in U.S.-China Relations,” in 

2015, Ben currently serves as the communication 

manager for the Paulson Institute — a Chicagobased 

nonpartisan center 

promoting stronger 

U.S.-China relations and 

economic growth and 

environmental protection 

in both countries. His work 

has helped China to initiate 

a national parks system, 

foster more sustainable 

cities, and strengthen 

commercial ties with the 

U.S. Prior to the Paulson 

Institute, Ben graduated 

with the highest honors 

from the University of Chicago in political science, 

where he developed an interest in international 

relations, focusing on China. “Writing my political 

science honors thesis on U.S.-China cybersecurity 

relations was a stimulating challenge that had 

me thinking back to my experience preparing 

and presenting my eighth grade project at 

Duke School,” he said, adding that his interest 

in China began during an eighth grade history 

project on the Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an. “ The 

school and its teachers helped me grow into an 

active learner and thinker at a critical moment 

in my development, and that has made a world 

of difference in my life,” he said. Duke School 

was a prominent part of Ben’s childhood that 

extended beyond graduation — both of his 

younger brothers, Alex (’08) and Charles (’10), 

attended Duke School.“ Although I didn’t always 

appreciate it at the time, it 

was an incredibly enriching 

education for me, and I feel 

that the school provided 

the perfect environment 

for exploring my interests 

and fascinations,” he said. 

“It’s difficult to imagine 

where I would be without 

the lessons I gained at 

Duke School.” Returning 

to Duke School this 

spring, Ben was the firstever 

alumni speaker at 

the Class of 2016 Eighth Grade Graduation. His 

return proved timely, as two of his middle school 

teachers were retiring. “ It meant a lot to me to 

be able to return and personally thank them for 

helping me along the way,” he said. “ It was truly 

an honor to serve as the alumni speaker,” he said. 

“It was a special moment for me to return back to 

the place that had helped launch me on the path 

I ended up taking.” 

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CREATING... 

FUTURE LEADERS 

This summer, eighth-grader Lee Jeffries delivered 

her ”Dream Speech” 

at the Jack and Jill of 

America Mid-Atlantic Regional Teen Conference in 

Portsmouth, Virginia. It was her first time attending 

and competing in the teen conference, although 

she has been a member of Jack and Jill, an 

organization dedicated to nurturing future African 

American leaders, since preschool. “ After all the 

crazy things that have been going on regarding 

race and gender, I thought that I should share my 

dream to give everyone hope that things would 

get better and that people would be treated 

fairly,” she said. The conference is for ages 13 

to 17—Lee is only 13 — the youngest person who 

competed. “At first I just looked at my cousin and 

family, but then I started to find my confidence 

herself above the cheering and applause for her 

words. “ Once I was finished, the entire Durham 

chapter stood up and screamed so loud for me,” 

she said. “The moms had tears in their eyes 

because they really connected to the dreams I had 

for our future.” Despite the unexpectedness of 

speaking, the experience was nothing but positive 

for Lee. She won third-place in the competition. 

“One thing that I really was able to see from this 

experience is that it doesn’t matter how old you 

are or what you look like, you will always have 

an opportunity to put yourself out there and talk 

about the things that are truly important to you, 

and people will listen and support you,” she said. 

and began to look around at people,” she 

After reading about dreams and 

said. “Seeing their faces was amazing, 

how to fully succeed with one, I was 

it was like they all wanted me to do 

inspired to write my own based upon Martin 

Luther King's; “I have a dream that one day a little 

a good job.” At one point, Lee had 

black girl will be able to jump into the pool and 

to pause because she couldn’t hear come out without everyone staring at her puffy hair. I have a 

dream that in a few years, an equal number of AfricanAmericans 

will be nominated for Academy awards. I have a dream that 

beautiful, strong sisters will no longer be stereotyped as “angry 

black woman”. And lastly, I have a dream that we will finally 

complete Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's wishes and create a 

world where people are not judged by their many 

differences but by the content of their character.” 

~An excerpt from Lee Jeffries “Dream Speech” 

Lee will be recognized as a repeat 

Mayor’s Award and President’s 

Gold Service Award recipient after 

volunteering 100+ hours this year! 

UNDER THE OAK 

13

Steve Speaks 

STAYINGCONNECTED 

In the first 

place, being 

retired means 

that I’m old. I 

know, 63 isn’t 

that old, but 

it’s old enough 

to be facing 

by Steve Waterman a future that 

will have to be 

constructed around diminishing capabilities, and 

therefore features limited potential. This outlook 

may be particularly striking to me because of 

how it contrasts with my years at Duke School, 

where every morning the room would fill with 

young people whose futures were so bright they 

practically sparkled. I miss that, the participation 

in cultivating kids’ capabilities and pushing the 

limits of their potentials. Most of the youngsters 

who come to Duke School have a lot going for 

them when they arrive, but I think we can be 

proud of the things they gain before they leave. 

My cousin, who is a year younger than I, says that 

we old people are irrelevant; that younger people 

have taken over production of everything that 

matters. I’d argue the minor point that retirement 

gives me more time to spend for and with friends 

and family, and that certainly matters to me. But, 

in a more global sense, she’s probably right. The 

students I taught 20-years-ago have way more 

invested in – and influence over – the future than 

my generation does. 

During my time at Duke School, we always had a 

“Moving On” ceremony for fourth graders leaving 

the Lower School for the Middle School. During 

the rites, we would ask students to share a brief 

memory from their Lower School years. They 

came up with silly or embarrassing situations, 

anecdotes about teachers, and, occasionally, 

poignant memories. Entertaining as they were, 

the memories also held a tiny undercurrent 

of loss. They carried the recognition that the 

particular sweetness of the early elementary 

years was being replaced with the somewhat 

more strident responsibilities of middle school. 

Another thing that I miss is that sweetness. I miss 

being surrounded by the innocence and optimism 

of the kids. 

Retirement is another sort of moving on. Maybe 

it accompanies a growing irrelevance, and 

spotlights a limited future, but I prefer to think of 

my retirement more as the reverse of our fourth 

grade “Moving On.” Fourth graders face a slightly 

scary future of increasing responsibilities, more 

difficult schoolwork, more complicated social 

systems, and the growing awareness that there 

are trickier decisions up there than four square 

versus digging mud balls out of the sand under 

the play structure. They are on the treacherous 

and sometimes tedious road to relevance. 

Retirement offers a reversal. It allows me to trade 

in any relevance I ever had for 

the opportunity to embrace 

a more mature version of 

sweetness. I’ve been 

thoroughly enjoying it. 

14 

UNDER THE OAK

Creativity 

Rewarded 

Many of us search for a long 

time to find that one thing that 

makes us happy. Kayla Pope 

has found it at a young age. She 

is currently a fourth grader at 

Duke School and the recipient 

of several awards at the North 

Carolina State Fair over the past 

two years. Art has always been 

an avenue for Kayla to relax, 

be creative and explore in the 

moment. 

Marki Watson, the Lower School 

art teacher, fosters Kayla’s 

love of art through private art 

lessons on weekends. “I look 

forward to my art lessons. Marki 

is awesome, easy to work with, 

and understands the way I think 

about art,” Kayla says. 

In 2015, Kayla entered three 

items at the fair. She received 

a first-place ribbon for her light 

switch cover made with Sculpey, 

a third-place ribbon for her 

ceramic coil pot cookie jar, and a 

first-place ribbon for her peanut 

butter crunch cookies. 

This year, Kayla doubled her 

entries and was again awarded 

ribbons for all the items she 

submitted. A blue first-place 

ribbon was awarded in baking 

for her Snickerdoodles and she 

received second-place ribbons 

for beaded jewelry, paper crafts 

and wheel thrown pottery. A 

third-place award was given for 

her Scupley and Kayla’s monarch 

butterfly painting received an 

Honorable Mention. What does 

winning at the fair mean to 

Kayla? 

“It made me like art even more and 

want to do it for the rest of my life 

and career.” 

“Kayla is an artist who has her own ideas and projects 

in mind,” says Marki. “When we come together, I serve 

as someone she brings those ideas to life with. She is a 

wonderful artist and a joy to work with.” 

Aram Lindroth, Duke School 

Class of 2016, is the winner 

of the 2016 Youth Concerto 

Competition. He was featured 

in the Chapel Hill Philharmonia’s 

concert “ Rivers of Inspiration,” 

where he played the first 

movement of Beethoven’s Piano 

Concerto No. 3. This was his first 

competition win. He has studied 

piano with Susan Greenburg for 

eight years, and gave his first solo 

recital last year. He has played in 

the Mallarmé Youth Chamber 

Orchestra chamber groups for 

two years, and attended an 

MYCO workshop and the Point 

Counterpoint music camp in 

Vermont. After graduating from 

Duke School in June, Aram now 

attends Durham Academy. The 

transition from Duke School to 

high school was not a difficult 

one, as he feels like “ Duke 

School projects give him a leg 

up on conducting independent 

research and preparing a 

culminating presentation.” 

Currently, Aram is involved in 

technical theater—something he 

developed a passion for in fifth 

grade at Duke School—and he 

is playing a keyboard part in the 

upcoming musical production at 

Durham Academy. 

UNDER THE OAK 

15

Alumni Art Show 

creativity and self-growth to the children I work 

with this summer. 

NAME: Hannah Marion 

“There’s no retirement for an artist, it’s 

your way of living so there’s no end to it.” 

In January, the Middle School Library at Duke 

School hosted an Alumni Art Show that featured 

work from Duke School alumni from over the 

years. The purpose was two-fold — to see how 

particular alumni had grown and evolved in their 

artistic endeavors, and to expose current students 

to the idea that art is not simply a class they must 

take, but a lifelong pursuit. 

We got in touch with some of the alumni featured 

to learn a little more about how their time at Duke 

School impacted their ability to think creatively in 

their current pursuits. Check out what they have 

to say! 

NAME: Katie Vincent 

DUKE SCHOOL CLASS OF: 2011 

PROFESSION: Sophomore at Harvard University; 

Summer Intern at Free Arts NYC 

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: Woman in Silks 

~ Henri Moore 

How did your time at Duke School help you 

to be a creative, bold thinker? How has that 

applied to your artistic pursuits? 

Our motto in Free Arts is, “There are no mistakes 

in art.” I believe this motto also applies to Duke 

School’s philosophy; Duke School taught me how 

to tackle challenges, to reassess when something 

didn’t go as I’d planned, and to take any socalled 

missteps in stride. During my painting 

classes in high school, I was able to unwind and 

decompress, remembering that, as Duke School 

taught me, the end-goal is always to learn. I hope 

that I can pass on these same lessons of resilience, 


PROFESSION: City Year Corps Member, Miami, FL 

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: Cuba Photos 




Duke School taught me that no idea is too big. 

I think often in today’s society we are taught to 

construct barriers to what we think we are capable 

of. Duke School encouraged me hold on to those 

big ideas and work to bring them to fruition. 

In terms of my artistic pursuits, Duke School 

influenced me to be confident in my vision and to 

explore all of its intricacies. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Emma Wallace (Schall) 


PROFESSION: Graphic Designer 

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: Holiday Cards and Tulane 

Architecture School Poster 




I think the Duke School environment showed me 

that exploration is a key part of learning. I’ve been 

able to explore different creative outlets, find what 

I really love to do and make a career out of it. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Rose Gabrielle Newell 


PROFESSION: Senior at East Chapel Hill High 

School 

16 UNDER THE OAK

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: Prose poem titled Stars 




Though I was only a student at Duke School for 

two years, it really did shape me into a more 

outreaching and exploratory student. In seventh 

grade, I began to learn about different writing 

methods and structures, and I always used the 

writing time we had at the beginning of language 

arts class to practice my poetry and fiction writing. 

I would often share these pieces, which was a 

great skill to practice, as sharing your writing is 

essential to gaining feedback. In eighth grade, 

we did a lot of essay writing as well as fiction and 

poetry, which was an irreplaceable experience in 

terms of the knowledge I gained on what makes 

writing or word choice strong, as well as working 

at the editing process on others’ pieces as well a 

my own. I received so much support and positive 

reinforcement from my language arts teacher 

Katie, who made me feel as though I could write 

it all. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Miranda Brown 


PROFESSION: Sophomore at Cedar Ridge High 


PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: Mischief Managed 




Duke School taught me to ask questions and 

continue asking until I know what I need. Duke 

School art teachers Marki and Jeannine taught me 

to love art, and without them I would not have 

discovered my love for art. The art program at 

Duke School made me a bold and creative thinker 

because the projects allowed and encouraged me 

to think outside of the box and make a unique 

product. The teachers and staff were supportive 

and encouraged all of us to think outside of the 

box. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Angelina Katsanis 


PROFESSION: Sophomore at Riverside High 


PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: A black and white portrait 

of an Australian Shepherd 




Duke School helped me understand that I could 

go out of the box and do things 

out of the ordinary, and it is those 

out of the box, foreign ideas that, 

in my opinion, make the best art. 

______________________________ 

NAME: Josh McClain 


PROFESSION: Sophomore at 

Kenyon College 

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: 

Branch Drawings 

UNDER THE OAK 

17




Duke School’s philosophy of project-based and 

interdisciplinary learning meant that I always 

saw art, and creative thinking more generally, 

as an integral part of serious academic work. 

Too often, art is separated from other ways of 

thinking (thinking mathematically, scientifically, or 

historically, for example) and from other academic 

disciplines. As a result, too many students don’t 

see art as a “serious” or important pursuit. 

At Duke School, creative thinking and artistic 

representation were intentional and unquestioned 

parts of my other classes. That embrace of all forms 

of thinking and working as equally important was 

deeply influential in my development as an artist 

and as a well-rounded student. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Sarah Pinto 


PROFESSION: Senior at St Andrews DE 

Piece(s) Submitted: Fern Photo 

At Duke School I was forced to take art classes. 

Even though I was initially reluctant, these classes 

combined with the free-thinking spirit at Duke 

School allowed me to learn to enjoy art. 

____________________________________________ 

NAME: Anna Marshall 


PROFESSION: 

Junior at Durham School of the Arts 

PIECE(S) SUBMITTED: 

Dragon Painting and Skeleton Drawing 




My time at Duke School shaped me into the artist 

I am today in many different ways. However, the 

spark that ignited my passion for art was my 

wonderful Lower School art teacher, Marki, who 

helped me realize that art was my true talent. I 

also believe that the hands-on teaching method 

Duke School uses supports creativity in everyone. 




18 UNDER THE OAK

BOLDLY SHAPING A FUTURE 

Great things can happen when 

you set your mind to them. 

Daniel Germain, a Class of 2013 

Duke School alumnus, gradated 

this year from Jordan High 

School—a year early—to begin 

his journey at North Carolina 

State University this fall as an 

Initiative for Maximizing Student 

Diversity (IMSD) Scholar. 

AN EASY TRANSITION 

Daniel knew he wanted to 

complete high school in three 

years, so he adjusted his course 

work accordingly. “I graduated 

early by taking nine classes 

my freshman year, 10 my 

sophomore year and nine my 

senior year to meet the 28 

credits needed to graduate,” 

he said. 

As for the transition, it is 

something that Daniel is 

comfortable with. “I moved 

around a lot before I went to 

Duke School, so transitions are 

natural for me,” he said. 

And so, starting college a 

year early has been an easy 

adjustment. 

“When I was at Duke school I 

was allowed to do independent 

research and answer a question 

I have always wanted to 

answer: How do computers 

turn electrical charge flow into 

what we see on the screen? To 

answer this question I researched 

logic, physics, mathematics and 

programming. While doing 

said research, I learned about 

methods of computing that 

are not yet developed such as 

quantum computing and artificial 

intelligence. Now in college, I 

am studying philosophy - logic, 

representation, and reasoning 

with a focus on linguistic 

computation, and physics with a 

focus on quantum computation.” 

IMSD SCHOLAR PROGRAM 

The Initiative for Maximizing 

Student Diversity (IMSD) 

Scholar Program is part of 

the Intensive Research and 

Training Program (IRTP). It 

prepares undergraduates for 

graduate school with hands-on 

experience, allowing students 

to work with faculty researchers 

throughout the year, attend 

professional development 

seminars and participate in 

summer research programs. 

“So far my research is in 

computational mathematics 

applied to biological systems,” 

Daniel said. 

“Basically, biologists go to labs 

and get a bunch of data and 

send it to my lab, where we 

develop mathematical models 

for what they are researching.” 

While the details of his personal 

project have not been specified, 

he will likely be working with 

transcription and translation 

processes. 

“My time at Duke School helped 

me focus my area of interest 

due to the freedom given when 

doing projects,” he added. 

“One day I can go back and 

study the things I read about 

while I was at Duke School.” 

Duke 

School alumni 

are doing great 

things, and we would like 

to celebrate and share your 

latest events and achievements! 

If you know of alumni who are 

continuing the work of their 

8th Grade Project, please 

share the news! 

E-mail alumni@ 

dukeschool.org 

2013 

REUNION 

May 25, 2017 

4 – 6 PM 

Building A Courtyard 

UNDER THE OAK 

19

Alumni Connections: Destinations of 2012 Grads 

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 

Tehila Rosenblatt-Farrell 

BARD COLLEGE 

Dashiell Garni (Warren) 

BOSTON COLLEGE 

Adam Kay 

CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY 

Ellen Fisher 

CARLETON COLLEGE 

Jade Ogilve 

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY 

Addie Mansfield 

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY 

Kaitlin Christensen 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 

Rowan Gossett 

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE 

Kiran Nagar 

DUKE UNIVERSITY 

Allison Dear 

Ryan Hill 

Jake Schulman 

Olivia Simpson 

Georgia Young 

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 

Robert Erwin 

HAVERFORD COLLEGE 

Ben Paul 

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY 

Abby Breitfeld 

Ellie Breitfeld 

UNC – ASHEVILLE 

Liam Marshall 

UNC – CHAPEL HILL 

Cy Neff 

Marisa Rauwald 

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER 

Josh Albert 

Hayden Fite 

Alessandro Mangiafico 

Mollie McCullough 

Sabastian Nofziger 

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 

Robby Mitchell 

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 

Leah Carson 

Francisco Coch 

WILLIAMS COLLEGE 

Thea Lance 

PLANS UNKNOWN/UNCONFIRMED 

Will Hausen 

Zach McElhaney 

Sean O’Donnell 

Dom Oliverio 

Noam Youngerman 

ELLIE BREITFELD 

Valedictorian 

at Durham Academy 

CLASS HIGHLIGHT 

ABBY BREITFELD 

Salutatorian 

at Durham Academy 

20 

UNDER THE OAK

Alumni Connections: Destinations of 2016 Grads 

CAMELOT ACADEMY 

Bryan Dock 

CARDINAL GIBBONS HIGH SCHOOL 

Peter Garcia 

Caroline Lundby 

CAROLINA FRIENDS SCHOOL 

Amelia Ashkin-Baker 

Phoebe Dodge 

Matthew Frey 

Alex Rauwald 

Jack Sendlinger 

CEDAR RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL 

Willie King 

Toby Mise 

Chayton Schmittling 

Nina Wayne 

DURHAM ACADEMY 

Adam Astrachan 

Brooke Aurentz 

Renee George 

Mac Hays 

Aram Lindroth 

Francesca Pacchiana 

Julia Villani 

DURHAM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS 

Liana Bradley 

Sylvie Kay 

Chloe Sports 

Lauren Taylor 

Max Woods 

EAST CHAPEL HILL HIGH SCHOOL 

Jeremy Carin 

Mia Leggatt 

Nathaniel Mills 

Micah Schulman 

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 

Wilder Semans 

JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL 

Langston Brooks 

Ellie Dryden 

Noelle Finlay 

Madeline Fitzgerald 

Kloe McGranahan 

Tobi Medaiyese 

Maddie Morrison 

Freddy Stanley 

Joey Stanley 

ORANGE CHARTER SCHOOL 

Dugan Andrews 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Rebecca King 

Jason Newton 

RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL 

Kat Anderson 

James Harris 

Martha Kravitz 

ST. ANDREW’S (DELAWARE) 

Owen Pinto 

VOYAGER 

John Merritt 

WOODS CHARTER 

Kenan Bauer 

Suzie Diamond 

Miriam Guzzardi 

Klara Nyberg 

Join our Duke School Alumni Facebook Group 

– a forum for reconnecting with old classmates 

while keeping in touch with Duke School. 

UNDER THE OAK 

21

Leaving a Legacy 

To some, charitable giving is a one-time 

donation or a pledge to support a 

particular purpose or mission; others 

think long-term and add a gift through 

their estate – a promise to share the 

benefits of their life’s work with the 

organizations that mean the most to them. 

Naming Duke School as a beneficiary 

of your will, living trust, retirement 

plan, or life insurance policy is a wonderful 

way for you to support the School. 

Including a gift in your estate costs 

nothing today and can ensure 

the area at Duke School that you 

care about the most continues to 

thrive into the future. 

Consider making a 

bequest today! 

Our thanks to you. 

A bequest to Duke School 

entitles you to membership in the 

school’s Heritage Society, 

Duke School’s way of thanking you for 

your generosity. If you have already 

included Duke School in your plans, 

please let us know 

so we can enroll you immediately. 

Heritage Society 

For more information, please contact: 

Dr. Kenneth W. Chandler, Director of Development or 

Deryle A. Daniels, Jr., Director of Annual Fund 

development@dukeschool.org | (919) 493-9968 

22 UNDER THE OAK Photo: Molly Cronenwett

A DAY OF GIVING 

FOR DUKE SCHOOL 

Total raised: 

$25,082 

60% of gifts received 

were 2nd gifts for the 

2015-16 Annual Fund 

10% of donors: 

Duke School alumni 


Duke School grandparents 


former/alumni parents 

#DSGIVES 

UNDER THE OAK 

23

DUKE SCHOOL 

ANNUAL REPORT 

2015 -16 

INCOME 

EXPENSES 

Net Fund Raising 

3.2% 

Auxiliary Programs 

7.5% 

Net Tuition and Fees 

88.3% 

Classroom Resources 

and Other Admin Costs 

17.8% 

Salaries and Benefits 

70.5% 

Debt Service 

2.3% 

Facilities 

4.9% 

Auxiliary Programs 

4.5% 

NET TUITION & FEES 

This income is derived from student tuition, The Learning Center 

and certain fee charges. 

AUXILLARY PROGRAMS 

This is income from all camps, after school programs and 

educator workshops. 

NET FUND RAISING 

This category embraces our PSO spring fundraiser and 

Annual Fund net figures. 

2015-16 Fundraising Campaign Highlights: 

$475,064 total dollars raised 

83% parent participation 

26% grandparent participation 

100% Class of 2016 parent participation 

*Data is based on a June 2016 year-end forecast. 

If you have questions about this budgetary information, please contact Russell Rabinowitz, 

director of finance and operations, at russell.rabinowitz@dukeschool.org. 

SALARES & BENEFTS AND CLASSROOM & 

ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS 

These categories include all expenses related to instructional and 

academic activity, including faculty and staff salaries and benefits, 

programmatic expenses, student support services, classroom 

materials and supplies, media centers, faculty development, 

technology and laptops, and special programs. All included are 

expenses related to Duke School Admission, Communications, Human 

Resources, Business, and Development Offices, etc. 

FACILITIES 

This category includes all costs related to operations and the repair 

and maintenance of school-owned facilities and grounds. It includes: 

utilities, waste removal, supplies, repair and maintenance of campus 

buildings, grounds, streets, fields and related machinery and 

equipment. 

DEBT SERVICE 

This category represents the payment of interest and principal 

on outstanding tax-exempt revenue bonds. The bonds were used 

to finance the costs of construction, improvement, renovation, 

furnishing, and equipping the existing school. 

AUXILIARY SERVICES 

These are the expenses of auxiliary service functions such as after 

school, camps and similar operations. 

24 

UNDER THE OAK

2015-16 ANNUAL FUND HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 

Board of Trustees 

Lisa Andrews-Lanier 

Karen Cochran 

Kisha Daniels 

Elise Dunzo 

Richard Griffin 

Dana Thompson-Dorsey 

1947 Society (Consecutive Giving) 

20 Years 

Kathy Bartelmay and Roger Perilstein 

Trish and John Neal 

Duke University Medical Center 

Sara Emley and John Stanley 

Emily Feldman-Kravitz and Richard Kravitz 

Ida and Dennis Greenhill 

Kris and Kerry Gustafson 

Jane and James Hales 

Mark Hale 

Laura Heyneman and Owen Astracan 

Jean Sartain 

Elizabeth Hays 

Susan and Richard Hilser 

Sheronda Jeffries 

Joel Lipsitch 

Candy and John Thompson 

Kate and Tom Whiteside 

Rex Jeffries 


Gary Monroe 

Carolynn Klein 

15 Years 

Beth Murgitroyd 

Lori Leggatt and Andrew Foster 

Anonymous (1) 

Josh Parker 

Jodi and Billy Marshall 

Lee and Libby Buck 

M.C. Ragsdale 

Susan and Bynum Merritt 

Elaine Cameron 

Mark Scullion 

Dave and Claudia Michelman 

Ayesha Chaudhary and Terry Clapacs 

Connie Semans 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Olich 

GlaxoSmithKline Foundation 

Cassandra Taylor 

John Pinto 

Harris Teeter 

Tina Valdecanas 

Russell Rabinowitz 

Madeline Horrigan 

Jeff Welty 

Rebecca Riley 

Hui Li and Fan Yuan 

Alison Windram 

Gilda Rodriguez and John Villani 

Debbie Marshall 

Darielle and Lee Ruderman 

Annual Fund Council and Class Agents Elizabeth and Wes Newman 

Denise and Rod Snyder 

Mary Boshkoff 

Marilyn and Peter Ornstein 

Katayoun Tabrizi and Scott Lindroth 

Lynn Brynes 

Margaret and Tim Rauwald 

Emily and Lee Taft 

Mary Cooley 

Marya McNeish and Robert Robinson 

Melanie and Lars Trost 

Tania Desrosiers 

Jane Shears 

Les Webster 

Isabel Geffner 

Marki Watson 

Emily Young and Jeff Goll 

Pamela Hester 

Becca and Julian Wooldridge 

Neva Howard 

5 Years 

10 Years 

Scott Huettel 

Anonymous (8) 

Anonymous (3) 

Lisa Kahan 

Jennifer Adams 

Dr. Nadia Anderson 

Sarah Lamb 

Ms. Sandra Adams and Mr. Fred Adams 

Brenda Berlin and Kevin Schulman 

Parris Lucas 

Lisa and Elaine Andrews-Lanier 

Melanie Bonner 

Kristin McNealy 

Stephanie and Vince Aurentz 

Mary Boshkoff and Paul Meisner 

Beth Miller 

Cheryl Baker and Evan Ashkin 

Kathryn and Curtis Bradley 

Jason Mudd 

Maureen Bauer 

Kate Brady 

Dawn Odom 

Ana Benitez-Graham and Steven Graham 

Betty and Gene Doyle 

Erin Reiter 

Geoff Berry 

Melissa Ellis and Jeff Doyle 

Anna Satterfield 

Jeannine Borzello 

UNDER THE OAK 

25

Kristin and Steve Bradley-Bull 

Meighan Carmichael and Chris Knotts 

Maria Cassinelli-Bernstein and 

Fernando Bernstein 

Tanya Chartrand and Gavan Fitzsimons 

Aria Chernik and Michael Delafield 

Katie Christo 

Karen and Steve Cochran 

MargEva and Stephen Cole 

Anita and Jonathan Cook 

Mary and Joe Cooley 

Molly Cronenwett 

Donna Culton and Arun Manikumar 

Kelly and Larry DeGraaf 

Elise Dunzo 

Mark Dunzo 

Maureen Dwyer 

Eman Elmahi and Husam Hasanin 

Rebecca and Bruce Elvin 

Susan and Michael Fitzgerald 

Gisela Fosado and Nicolas Buchler 

Elizabeth Frankenberg and Duncan Thomas 

Jim Garman 

Katie Garman 

Jeanne Gatling 

Victor Gatling 

General Mills Box Tops for Education 

Annie and George Gentithes 

Jennifer Goulet and Michael Wade 

Leslie Hamilton 

Robin Hardie-Hood and Thomas Hood 

Sue Harnett 

Beth and Jeff Harris 

Jennifer Harris 

Kylie and Clint Harris 

Helen Harrison and Thomas Truscott 

Melanie Hatz Levinson and Howie Levinson 

Elizabeth and David Hays 

Mary Beth Hes 

Kristen Hirsch 

Kerry Holbrook 

Carla Horta 

Brian Horton 

Andrea Hussong and Patrick Curran 

Kristin Ito and Charles Gayer 

Tekla Jachimiak and Thomas Brothers 

Pamela Kachurin and Ernest Zitser 

Susan Sugarman Kirsch and David Kirsch 

Kay Kohring-DaSilva and Keith DaSilva 

Tiffane Land and Jonathon Jurusik 

Amy and Jamie Lau 

Corinne Linardic and Ned Patz 

Joel Lipsitch and Abbie Melnick 

Tracey-Lee and Parris Lucas 

Julie Marshall 

Susan and Melvin Melnick 

Katie and Brian Mitchell 

Gary and Carelyn Monroe 

Karen and Steve Munsat 

Beth and Ed Murgitroyd 

Kim and David Newton 

Miriam Ornstein and David Luks 

Diane and Dale Pahl 

Josh Parker 

Sarah Parker 

Judith Panitch and Andrew Hart 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Patz 

Kirstin and Gary Pellom 

M.C. Ragsdale and Karen Popp 

Arati Rao and Prithvi Mruthyunjaya 

Michelle and Brian Reich 

Richards-Baker Family 

Anna and Tuck Satterfield 

Connie and Truman Semans 

Naz Siddiqui and Casey Jenkins 

Courtney and Don Smith 

Renee and Joseph Smith 

Kim Spancake and Drew Snider 

Karen Springer and Alex Herskowitz 

Fern Szulgit and Erick Peterson 

Pretty and Rodney Terrell 

Crystal Thomas 

Mary Townsend and Jonathan Stiber 

Linda Toyama-Yee and Linton Yee 

Tina Valdecanas and Doug Aitkin 

Sarah Wagdy and Tamer Mahmoud 

Amy Warren 

Rebecca and Robert Wilgus 

Alison and Soren Windram 

Suzanne and Chris Woods 

3 Years 

Anonymous (8) 

Sumi and Dan Ariely 

Rachel Bachenheimer and Richard Stilwell 

Anjanée Bell 

The Honorable William Bell and Mrs. Judith Bell 

Tia and Martin Black 

Mrs. Ruth Boshkoff 

Mr. and Mrs. David Bowers 

Lucy and Tom Bradshaw 

Dayna Brill 

Mrs. Brenda Brown 

Holly Brown and James Maynard 

Lynn and Andy Brynes 

Lawrence Carin 

Susan Cates and Scott Warren 

Dr. Kenneth W. Chandler 

Heather Clarkson and Sean Wilmer 

Heidi and Jason Cope 

Linda Cronenwett and Shirley Tuller 

Kiersten and Clint Dart 

Mrs. Lynn Delicio 

Tania and Justin Desrosiers 

Greg Dodge 

Lauren and Scott Drake 

Alison and David Eagle 

Allison and Doug Eisner 

Lori Etter and Jeff Welty 

26 

UNDER THE OAK

Lisa Fail and Michael Pignone 

Julia Fiore ‘00 

Ana Garcia-Turner and Mark Turner 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Generelly 

Michael Gilbert ‘96 

Victoria Goatley 

Jill Goldstein 

Tery and Michael Gunter 

Lea and Alan Hart 

Laurie Ann and Scott Harvey 

Wendy and Paul Henderson 

Sunshine and Joel Hillygus 

Dr. and Mrs. Jack Hollenbeck 

Beatrice Hong and Ziad Gellad 

Neva Howard and Shahar Link 

Lisa and Scott Huettel 

Ji-Yeon and Hun Jo 

Stefanie Kandzia and Ralf Michaels 

Richard and Lisa Kern Griffin 

Alexis and Jason Kralic 

Sarah and Ryan Lamb 

Ms. Ann Lawrence and Mr. Steve Leinwand 

Charlotte Lee and David Siegel 

Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Leubuscher 

Ms. Judith Lynch 

Kristi and Chris Martin 

Kristin and Corum McNealy 

Jenny and Craig Murray 

Dawn Odom and Benjamin Vaughn 

Jackie Olich and Andy Kennedy 

Natalie and Emiliano Corral 

Mrs. Kathleen Przybycien 

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Richards 

Mr. and Mrs. Epes Robinson 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Selder 

Radhika Shah and Michael Brandt 

Julie Shermak and Steve Goodman 

Irecka Smith 

Jinda and Kevin Stoll 

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Trzcinski 

Linda Vargas 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Welty 

Jen Wu and Shane McSwain 

Leadership Society ($2500+) 

Founder’s Club ($10,000+) 


Oak Foundation 

M.C. Ragsdale and Karen Popp 

Under the Oak Club ($5,000 - $9,999) 

Anonymous(1) 

Sumi and Dan Ariely 

Karen and Steve Cochran 

Elizabeth and David Hays 

Richard and Lisa Kern Griffin 

Beverly and Keith McRae 

Dave and Claudia Michelman 

Gary and Carelyn Monroe 

Florence and James Peacock 

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Proctor 

Panna and Jenny Sharma 

Hull Avenue Club ($2,500 - $4,999) 

Anonymous (4) 

Karrie and Nathan Andrews 

Lisa and Elaine Andrews-Lanier 

Stephanie and Vince Aurentz 

Cheryl Baker and Evan Ashkin 

The Honorable William Bell and 

Mrs. Judith Bell 

Brenda Berlin and Kevin Schulman 

Mary Boshkoff and Paul Meisner 

Meihua Chen and Denis Kalenja 

Kelly and Larry DeGraaf 

Melissa Ellis and Jeff Doyle 

Sara Emley and John Stanley 

Kylie and Clint Harris 

Kristin Ito and Charles Gayer 

Kay Kohring-DaSilva and Keith DaSilva 

Joel Lipsitch and Abbie Melnick 

Beth and Ed Murgitroyd 

Wes and Elizabeth Newman 

Cindy and Gregg Pacchiana 

Josh Parker 

John Pinto 

Kelly and Jeff Powrie 

Anna and Tuck Satterfield 

Connie and Truman Semans 

Radhika Shah and Michael Brandt 


Naz Siddiqui and Casey Jenkins 

Alison and Soren Windram 

Erwin Road Club ($1,000 - $2,499) 

Anonymous (3) 

Ms. Sandra Adams and Mr. Fred Adams 

Krissy and Will Anderson 


Laura Heyneman and Owen Astrachan 

Chuck and Judy Bausell 

Sharon and Lawrence Baxter 

Kathryn and Curtis Bradley 

Laurie Braun and John Taylor 

Dr. Kenneth W. Chandler 

Tanya Chartrand and Gavan Fitzsimons 

Ayesha Chaudhary and Terry Clapacs 

MargEva and Stephen Cole 

Charlotte and Ron Craig 

Donna Culton and Arun Manikumar 

Lauren and Scott Drake 

Lori Etter and Jeff Welty 

Keijuane Hester 

Elizabeth Frankenberg and 

Duncan Thomas 

Katie Garman 

D’Ann and Dan George 

Jennifer Goulet and Mike Wade 

Robin Hardie-Hood and Thomas Hood 

Sue Harnett 

Harris Teeter 

Helen Harrison and Thomas Truscott 

Melinda and Michael Hill 

UNDER THE OAK 

27

Julie and Scott Hollenbeck 

Diane Hom and Chris Larson 

Jenn Hult-Kades and Joel Kades 

Mrs. Marlene Janay and Mr. Gad Janay 


Stefanie Kandzia and Ralf Michaels 

Bridget and Jason Koontz 

Sarah and Ryan Lamb 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lemuth 

Corinne Linardic and Ned Patz 

Susan and Ian Lipsitch 

Mimi Lukens and Mark Hansen 

Mollie and Chad Mather 

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Maultsby 

Kendra Maultsby-Mudd and Jason Mudd 

Beth and Tim Miller 

Katie and Brian Mitchell 

E. Towson Moore and Linda L. Moore 

Jenny and Craig Murray 

Kim and David Newton 

Dawn Odom and Benjamin Vaughn 


Dana and Keith Pearsall 

Kirstin and Gary Pellom 

Russell Rabinowitz 

Arti Rai and Stuart Benjamin 

Fatima Rangwala and Yousuf Zafar 

Arati Rao and Prithvi Mruthyunjaya 

Margaret and Tim Rauwald 

Erin and Jerry Reiter 

Gilda Rodriguez and John Villani 

Meredith and Andrew Annex 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Selder 

Diane and John Simon 

Rona and Craig Spitzer 

Target 

Melanie and Lars Trost 

Tina Valdecanas and Doug Aitkin 

Sarah Wagdy and Tamer Mahmoud 

Holly and John Williams 

Suzanne and Chris Woods 

Jen Wu and Shane McSwain 

Dragon’s Club ($500 - $999) 

Anonymous (4) 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Baldwin 

Kathy Bartelmay and Roger Perilstein 


Breitfeld Family 

Holly Brown and James Maynard 

Joel and Beverly Brown 

Lynn and Andy Brynes 

Susan Cates and Scott Warren 

Kisha Daniels 

Blue and Robb Dean 

Tania and Justin Desrosiers 

Gene and Betty Doyle 

Mark Dunzo 

Elise Dunzo 

Rebecca and Bruce Elvin 

Lisa Fail and Michael Pignone 


Susan and Michael Fitzgerald 

Jennifer, Shawn, Shelby and 

Jack Garst Sendlinger 

Jeanne Gatling 


Brian Greene 

Sandra B. Greene 

Rajan, Preeya, Meera and Siyona Gupta 

Dr. April Harris-Britt and Mr. James Britt 

Tyler Hill ‘17 

Lisa and Scott Huettel 

Ji-Yeon and Hun Jo 

Romina and Amir Khandani 

Susan Kirsch and David Kirsch 

Jian Liu and Jia Li 

Claudia and Steve Markey 

Debbie Marshall 

Kristin and Corum McNealy 

Omolara and Ayo Medaiyese 

Susan and Bynum Merritt 

Catriona Moore and Kyle Lundby 

Karen and Steve Munsat 

Mitch and Tina Prinstein 

Debu Purohit 

Dr. Shalini Ramasunder and Dr. Scott Buckel 

Anne and Epes Robinson 

Mr. and Mrs. Randy Rollins 

Darielle and Lee Ruderman 

Mike Strauss and Harmony Salzler 

Whitney and John Sandor 

Claire and Mark Scullion 

Ann Stuart and John Moore 

Candy and John Thompson 

Stacey and Eric Tisch 

Dr. and Mrs. Virgilio Valdecanas 

Rebecca Walsh and Jim Shah 

Les Webster 

Danielle and Samuel Wellman 

Kimberly Wheaton and Timothy King 

Rebecca and Robert Wilgus 

Wei Zhang 

Maroon Club ($250 - $499) 

Anonymous (10) 

Maureen Bauer 

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Becker 

Melanie Bonner 

Mrs. Jane Bourne 

Kristin and Steve Bradley-Bull 

Mrs. Brenda L. Brown 

Lee and Libby Buck 

Johnavae and Charles Campbell 

Maria Cassinelli-Bernstein and 

Fernando Bernstein 

Mr. and Mrs. Chi-Cheng Chen 

Robyn and Jamie Claar 

Heather Clarkson and Sean Wilmer 

Anita and Jonathan Cook 

Lisa Criscione-Schreiber and Eric Schreiber 


28 

UNDER THE OAK

Molly Cronenwett 

Bethany Dalton and Christy Walter 

Angela Davis 

Rick and Sharon Deason 


Dr. Agnes L. DeWitt 

Penelope Dempsey Dietz 

Mr. Albert Feldman 

Kathryn and Pierce Freelon 

Mr. and Mrs. John Gardner 

Victor Gatling 

Cathy Gracey and Steve Smith 

Mrs. Gail A. Granek 

Peter Gundlach and Livvy Kage 

Mark Hale 

Lea and Alan Hart 

Melanie Hatz Levinson and Howie Levinson 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hays 

Janet and Paul Hesselschwerdt 

Pamela Hester 

Sunshine and Joel Hillygus 

Sima and Michael Hodavance 

Caren and Jack Hollenbeck 

Beatrice Hong and Ziad Gellad 

Tom and Nancy Hurtgen 

Maria Joyce and Jim Covington 

Lisa Kahan and Duncan Higgins 

Cara and Ravi Karra 

Mrs. Margaret Kohring 

Kralic Family 

Amy and Naveen Kumar 

Ann Lawrence and Steve Leinwand 

Lori Leggatt and Andrew Foster 

Frederic and Naomi Leubuscher 

Lingyun Long and Hao Li 

Judith Lynch 

Edward F. and Betty Patz 

Lisa and Jake Pope 

Tisha Powell-Wayne and James Wayne 

Elisandra Rangel and Marcos Rangel 

Shelby and Stephen Reed 

Helen and Barry Reiter 

Eileen and Gerald Richards 

Ira Robinson 


Sergio Rosa 

Courtney and Don Smith 

Fern Szulgit and Erick Peterson 

Emily and Lee Taft 

Sandra and Robert Taylor 

Michelle Torian 

Dr. and Ms. Linton Yee 


Lisa and Barry Van Deman 

Sheryl Weiss and Matthew Diamond 

Bea and Bill Welty 

Marlo and Dirk Wilcox 

Donor (Up to $249) 


Timothy Adams 

Natalie and Chris Aho 

Kamau and Vida Anderson 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson 

Anderson Family 

Ruth Anderson-McGranahan and Mike 

McGranahan 

Amber Ankrom 

Mr. and Mrs. Bolton Anthony 

Rachel Bachenheimer and Richard Stilwell 

Emily Bahna and Ram Neta 

Ms. Diane Bailey 

Jean and Roger Barr 

Stephanie Battani 

Tanja and Dan Bauer 

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Beason 

Sylvia Becker-Dreps and Chris Dreps 

Janine and Kirk Beeson 

Anjanée Bell 

Alisha and Eric Benner 

Geoff Berry 

Tia and Martin Black 

Dr. and Mrs. Dan Blazer, II 

Angela Bolz and Anthony Castleberry 

Mr. and Ms. John Bolz 

Fernando Barsoba and Paloma Liton 

Jeannine Borzello 


Lucy and Tom Bradshaw 

Kate Brady 

Dayna Brill 

Margie and Leonard Brooks 

Patricia Brown 

Audrey Bruce 

Sam Burness ‘99 

Judy Byck and Eric Mlyn 

Elaine Cameron 

Lawrence Carin 

Meighan Carmichael and Chris Knotts 

Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Chartrand 

Aria Chernik and Michael Delafield 

Katie Christo 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Claar 

Noah Clapacs ‘14 

Zain Clapacs ‘11 

Mrs. Helen Clyde 

Pamela and Marc Cohen 

Emily Coin ‘14 

Margaret Coin 

Mr. Larry Colker 

Mary and Joe Cooley 

Heidi and Jason Cope 

Jack and Debra Cronenwett 

Mr. and Ms. Roland M. Crowell 

Dianne Cruz and Douglas Williamson 

Cundiff Family 

Kiersten and Clint Dart 

Dr. Nancy Day Adams and 

Dr. Thomas Sinsteden 

Deborah DeBourg-Brown 

Katrina and Mark Donahue 

UNDER THE OAK 

29

Sue Dunn and John Pharo 

Maureen Dwyer 

Foley Dyson 

Alison and David Eagle 

Rose and Zubin Eapen 

Al and Carolyn Eckhardt 

Allison and Doug Eisner 

Eman Elmahi and Husam Hasanin 

Cleo Estrera and Matthew Etherington 

Dr. and Mrs. Gus Etersque 

Jennifer Falchi 

Ben Felton 

Gray and Tom Ferguson 

Erica Field and Attila Ambrus 

Vicki and David Field 

Lisa Finlay 

Julia Fiore ‘00 

Gisela Fosado and Nicolas Buchler 

Dr. Sarah Friedman 

Ms. Elderelia Garcia 

Jim Garman 

Ms. Carol Garth 

Christy Garth and Trey Blazer 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Gayer 

Vicki and Peter Generelly 

Annie and George Gentithes 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Getman 

Michael Gilbert ‘96 

Sarah Gilbert ‘99 

Gilchrist Family 

Silvia Glaubach and Federico Bugni 

Victoria Goatley 

Ms. Cleme Grant 

Jim and Beth Gray 

Emily Greene 

Heather and Bret Greene 

Ida and Dennis Greenhill 

Rachel and Rich Greenup 

Sara Nour ‘03 and Holland Greer 

Tery and Michael Gunter 

Dr. Vasudha Gupta and Dr. Bhupender Gupta 

The Gustafson Family 

Lauren Hagan 

Emma Hales ‘15 

Jane and James Hales 

Alison Halperin ‘02 

Sean Hamel 

Leslie Hamilton 

Mrs. Sylvia Harlen 

Beth and Jeff Harris 

Jennifer Harris 

Laurie Ann and Scott Harvey 

Mary and Steve Harward 

Wendy and Paul Henderson 

Mary Beth Hes 

Daniel Heuser 

Alison Hill and Tandy Jones 

Susan and Richard Hilser 

Kristen Hirsch 

Simon Hirsch ‘15 

Laura and Jason Hodgson 

Kerry Holbrook 

Madeline Horrigan 

Carla Horta 

Brian Horton 

The Houde Family 

Neva Howard and Shahar Link 

Samantha and Daniel Hunt 

Tekla Jachimiak and Thomas Brothers 

Katie Jackson ‘06 

Laurie Jackson 

Ryan Jackson ‘10 

Sandra and Peter Jacobi 

Jake Jeffries ‘14 

Rex Jeffries 

Cindy Johnson and Bill Hargett 

Pamela Kachurin and Ernest Zitser 

Sara and Nico Katsanis 

Kevin Kearns 

Ashley King and Peter Leousis 

Donna King and Kevin McClain 

Katie and Rob Kingsley 

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Kirk 

Carolynn Klein 

Koerner Family 

Joanne Kurtzberg and Henry Friedman 

Tiffane Land and Jonathon Jurusik 

Sue Landis and Joseph Garcia 

Jodie LaPoint and Chris Weymouth 

Ms. Paula LaPoint 

Amy and Jamie Lau 

Charlotte Lee and David Siegel 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lee 

Lynn Leubuscher and Christopher McLaughlin 

Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Lewis 

Hui Li and Fan Yuan 

Catherine Linford 

Ms. Joan Lloyd 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Longnecker 

Dr. Victoria Lubkov 

Tracey-Lee and Parris Lucas 

Sharon and Ed Lunk 

Courtney and Sekou Ma’at 

Jodi and Billy Marshall 

Julie Marshall 

Kristi and Chris Martin 

Ms. Brenda Matthews 

Tiffany Matthews 

William K. Matthews 

Ann and John McCann 

Melvin and Susan Melnick 

Tom and Nancy Metzloff 

Jonathan Mills 

Robert Mills 

Oleg Moiseenko 

Jeffrey Monroe ‘15 

Jeannine Montgomery 

Jennifer Moore 

Ms. Cathleen Morawetz 

Vin and Ann Morgan 

30 

UNDER THE OAK

Meghan Morris 

Anna and Scott Morrison 

Mr. and Mrs. Ian Murgitroyd 

Mynt LTD 

Trish and John Neal 

Pedi and Ruth Neta 

Tobi and James Nguyen 

Willie Nicholson 

Cal Nightingale ‘15 

Marty and Sayed Nour 

Judy Nyberg 

Jacqueline Olich and Andrew Kennedy 


Miriam Ornstein and David Luks 

Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Orstad 

Beth Owen 

Kait Paden 

Diane and Dale Pahl 

Judy Panitch and Andy Hart 

Sarah Parker 

Dalia Patino-Echeverri and Miguel Rojas-Sotelo 

Natalie and Emiliano Corral 

Dwight Perry ‘02 

Eva Perry ‘98 

Mr. and Ms. John Philpot 

Mrs. Barbara Pope 

Mr. and Mrs. Max Powrie 

Tracy Proctor 

Progressive Solutions 

Kathleen M. Przybycien 

Robyn and Richard Putnam 

Yuliya Pylayeva-Gupta and Gaorav Gupta 

Anita and Dale Pyles 

Daniel Read 

Katie and Tom Redick 

Michelle and Brian Reich 

Richards-Baker Family 

Charique and Johnathan Richardson 

Laura and Barak Richman 

Rebecca Riley 

Marya McNeish and Bob Robinson 

Ginny Rollins and Rob Millet 

Michelle Roy 

Rust Family 

Grechen and Jonas Sahratian 

Jonatan Sanchez 

Jean Sartain 

Elizabeth Sasser and Daniel Sasser 

Bill Savage 

Richard Scher 

Selene and Bob Schmittling 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Schoene 

Gita Schonfeld and Marvin Swartz 

Ms. Meyressa Schoonmaker 

Jan Sedway and Keith Hersh 

William Settle 

Ronnie and Neely Chatterji 

Lorenzo F. Shaikewitz ‘15 

Jane Shears 

Lisa Simmons 

Ann Skye and Jami Norris 

Irecka Smith 

Dr. and Mrs. James A. Smith, III 

Janet and Roy Smith 

Renee and Joseph Smith 

Mrs. Sue Smith 

McKenna Snyder ‘15 

Kimberly Spancake and Drew Snider 

Charlene and Michael Sports 

Chloe Sports ‘16 

Karen Springer and Alex Herskowitz 

Mr. and Mrs. David Stanley 

Jamie Steck 

Eleanor and Mark Stevenson 

Jinda and Kevin Stoll 

Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Strauss 

Betsy Strauss 

Laura E Streitfeld and Cyril A Lance 

Ms. Nina Streitfeld 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Sugarman 


Lewanda and Pierre Taybron 

Pretty and Rodney Terrell 

Jean and Fred Tetterton 

Crystal Thomas 

Dana Thompson Dorsey and Doug Dorsey 

Laura Thompson ‘98 

Mrs. Norma Thompson 

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tisch 

Mary Townsend and Jonathan Stiber 

Linda Vargas 

Christopher Villani ‘13 

Nanditha Vivekananthan and Suman Vidyarthi 

Amy Warren 

Jordan Washington ‘03 

Marki Watson 

Rachel Wertheimer 

Sarah Wessell and John Bley 

Kate Whiteside 

Megan Whitted 

Anne Williams and John Burness 

Elisabeth Williams ‘09 

Ms. Karen Williams 

Kia Williams 

Samuel Williams ‘12 

Becca and Julian Wooldridge 

Nancy Worsham 

Iain Wright ‘13 

Wright Family 

Mel York and Lake Lloyd 

Emily and Jeff Young 

Albert Yuan ‘15 

Ellen Yuan ‘09 

Sherrie and Richard Vinegar 

Grandparent Giving 


Dr. Sandra Adams and Dr. Fred Adams 

Kamau and Vida Anderson 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson 

UNDER THE OAK 

31


Mr. and Mrs. Bolton Anthony 

Ms. Diane Bailey 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Baldwin 

Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Bausell 

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Beason 

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Becker 

The Honorable William Bell and 

Mrs. Judith Bell 

Dr. and Mrs. Dan Blazer, II 

Mr. and Ms. John Bolz 


Mrs. Jane Bourne 


Mrs. Brenda L. Brown 

Joel and Beverly Brown 

Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Chartrand 

Mr. and Mrs. Chi-Cheng Chen 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Claar 

Mrs. Helen Clyde 

Mr. Larry Colker 

Charlotte and Ron Craig 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cronenwett 


Mr. and Ms. Roland M. Crowell 

Dr. Nancy Day Adams and 

Dr. Thomas Sinsteden 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Deason 


Dr. Agnes DeWitt 

Mrs. Penny Dietz 

Mr. and Mrs. Gene Doyle 

Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Etersque 

Mr. Albert Feldman 

Dr. Sarah Friedman 

Mr. and Mrs. John Gardner 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Gayer 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Generelly 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Getman 

Mrs. Gail A. Granek 

Ms. Cleme Grant 

Mr. and Mrs. James Gray, III 

Dr. Sandra Greene 

Dr. Vasudha Gupta and Dr. Bhupender Gupta 

Mrs. Sylvia Harlen 

Dr. April Harris-Britt and Mr. James Britt 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hays 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hesselschwerdt 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hilser 

Dr. and Mrs. Jack Hollenbeck 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hurtgen 

Mr. Gad Janay and Mrs. Marlene Janay 

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Kirk 

Mrs. Margaret Kohring 

Ms. Paula LaPoint 

Ms. Ann Lawrence and Mr. Steve Leinwand 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lee 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lemuth 

Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Leubuscher 

Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Lewis 

Dr. and Mrs. Ian Lipsitch 

Ms. Joan Lloyd 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Longnecker 

Dr. Victoria Lubkov 

Ms. Judith Lynch 

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Markey 

Ms. Brenda Matthews 

William Matthews 

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Maultsby 

Mr. and Mrs. Pat McNease 

Melvin and Susan Melnick 

Dr. and Mrs. Towson Moore 

Mr. and Mrs. Vin Morgan 

Mr. and Mrs. Ian Murgitroyd 

Dr. Pedi Neta and Mrs. Ruth Neta 

Dr. and Mrs. Franc Noel 



Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Orstad 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Patz 

Florence and James Peacock 

Mrs. Barbara Pope 

Mr. and Mrs. Max Powrie 

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Proctor 

Mrs. Kathleen Przybycien 

Robyn and Richard Putnam 

Anita and Dale Pyles 

Dr. and Mrs. Barry Reiter 

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Richards 

Mr. and Mrs. Epes Robinson 

Mr. Ira Robinson 


Mr. and Mrs. Donald Schoene 

Ms. Meyressa Schoonmaker 

Dr. and Mrs. James A. Smith, III 

Mrs. Sue Smith 

Darryl Spancake 

Mr. Gad Janay and Mrs. Marlene Janay 

Betsy Strauss 

Ms. Nina Streitfeld 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Sugarman 

Mrs. Sallie Taylor 

Mrs. Norma Thompson 

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tisch 


Dr. Virgilio Valdecanas and 

Dr. Erlinda Valdecanas 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Welty 

Ms. Karen Williams 

Gifts in Kind 

Ad Resources, Inc. 

Favor Desserts 

Alex Herst ‘08 

Anne Lawrence and Steve Leinwand 

King’s Red & White Super Market, Inc. 

The Mad Popper 

Chris Marshall and Moira Smullen 

Lee Miller 


32 

UNDER THE OAK

Gifts Made (IHO/IMO/ICO)* 

Anonymous, ICO: Elise and Theadora Iversen 

Anonymous, ICO: Carson Turner 

Anonymous, ICO: Lynn Pickles 

Anonymous, ICO: Miles Gardner 

Anonymous, IMO: Rives Worsham Jr. 

Kamau and Vida Anderson, 

ICO: Suri McKinney 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson, 

ICO: Ethan Anderson 

Mr. and Mrs. Bolton Anthony, 

ICO: Davis Munsat 

Ms. Diane Bailey, ICO: Christina Taybron 

Jean and Roger Barr, 

ICO: Holly (Barr) Pritchard and Daniel Barr 

Kathy Bartelmay and Roger Perilstein, 

ICO: Jake Pope 

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Beason, 

ICO: Court Beason 

Janine and Kirk Beeson, 

ICO: Jack and Graham Beeson 

Geoff Berry, IMO: Amy Winehouse 

Dr. and Mrs. Dan Blazer, II, ICO: Callie Blazer 

Mr. and Ms. John Bolz, 

IHO: Great Staff at Duke School 

Mary Boshkoff and Paul Meisner, 

IMO: Douglass George Boshkoff 

Mrs. Ruth Boshkoff, 

IMO: Douglass George Boshkoff 

Mrs. Jane Bourne, 

ICO: Stephen, Gavin and Ally Lamb 

Mrs. Brenda L. Brown, IMO: Theressa H. Brown 

Audrey Bruce, IHO: Adam Perry 

Mr. and Mrs. Chi-Cheng Chen, 

ICO: Francis Kalenja 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Claar, 

ICO: Ava and Max Claar 

Mrs. Helen Clyde, ICO: Elise and Thea Iversen 

Margaret Coin, IHO: Great Duke School 

teachers and staff! 

Charlotte and Ron Craig, 

IHO: Emily, Crete and Gray Taft 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cronenwett, 

ICO: Elena and Taylor Mills 

*IHO - In Honor of, IMO - In Memory of, ICO - In Celebration of 

Mr. and Ms. Roland M. Crowell, 

ICO: Emma and Lila Wills 

Dr. Nancy Day Adams and Dr. Thomas 

Sinsteden, ICO: Jack Greenup 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Deason 

ICO: Cameron Aho; 

IHO: Amy Lau and Tery Gunter 

Dr. Agnes DeWitt, ICO: Kelia Hester 

Mrs. Penny Dietz, IMO: Amelia Marie Dietz 

Mr. and Mrs. Gene Doyle, ICO: Mollie Doyle; 

IHO: Brian Greene, Lauren Hagen, Meghan 

Morris, Heather Greene 

Lauren and Scott Drake, 

ICO: Jane Shears and Grechen Sahratian 

Lauren and Scott Drake, 

ICO: Claire Koerner, Michelle Roy, Annie 

Gentithes and Willie Nicholson 

Mark Dunzo, IMO: Connie Swinger; IHO: 

Grace and Jack Dunzo and their mother 

Elise Dunzo, 

IMO: Elsie Jackson and Connie Swinger 

Melissa Ellis and Jeff Doyle, 

IHO: Ben Felton, Lauren Hagan, 

Meghan Morris, Becca Wooldridge 

Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Etersque, 

ICO: Carson Castellani 

Mr. Albert Feldman, IHO: Martha Kravitz 


IHO: Matt Koerner, Claudia Michelman, 

Jamie Steck, Kate Whiteside 

Lisa Finlay ICO: Laura and Alex Hanson 

Mr. and Mrs. John Gardner, IHO: Laurie Ann 

Harvey and Michael Gilbert 

Annie and George Gentithes, 

ICO: Jane and Grechen 

Jennifer and Michael Gilchrist, 

IHO: Emily Taft, Eman Elmani, 

Madeline Horrigan and Mary Harward 

Cathy Gracey and Steve Smith, 

IHO: Cyndy Blackburn 

Mrs. Gail A. Granek, IHO: Madeline Horrigan 

and Mary Harward 

Ms. Cleme Grant, ICO: Mason Ma’at 

Mr. and Mrs. James Gray, III, ICO: James Gray 

Sara Greer, IHO: Elaine Cameron 

Sharon and Ed Halperin, ICO: Alison Halperin 

Sean Hamel, ICO: Conrad Hamel 

Mrs. Sylvia Harlen, IHO: Adeline Delafield 

Sima and Michael Hodavance, 

ICO: Cameron Hodavance 

Dr. and Mrs. Jack Hollenbeck, 

ICO: Zeph and Charles Wiley 

Madeline Horrigan, IHO: Sandy GIllepsie 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hurtgen, 

ICO: Kayla and Camden Pope 

Tekla Jachimiak and Thomas Brothers, 

IHO: Sandy Gillespie 

Katie Jackson, IHO: Jane Shears 

Ryan Jackson, IHO: Debbie Marshall 

Mr. Gad Janay and Mrs. Marlene Janay, 

ICO: Justin Spitzer 

Jake Jeffries, IHO: Lee Jeffries 

Rex Jeffries, IHO: Diversity 

Ji-Yeon and Hun-Yong Jo, 

ICO: Ben Felton, Lauren Hagan, 

Meghan Morris, Becca Wooldridge 

Cara and Ravi Karra, IHO: Vija K. Karra 

Sara and Nico Katsanis, 

IHO: Angelina Katsanis and out of respect 

for the effort that the Duke School teachers 

made over the years to transform her into 

the amazing young woman she is becoming 

Katie and Rob Kingsley, 

ICO: Logan and Jaxon Kingsley 

Claire and Matt Koerner, 

IHO: The Preschool Team 

Joanne and Henry Friedman, 

ICO: Josh and Sara Friedman 

Ms. Paula LaPoint, ICO: Norah Weymouth 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lemuth, 

ICO: Jack Wellman 

Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Lewis, 

IHO: Geoff Berry, Beth Harris, Dan Heuser, 

Rebecca Riley and Musical Megan 

Ms. Joan Lloyd, 

IHO: Emily Taft and Eman Elmahi 

Ms. Judith Lynch, IHO: Debbie Marshall and 

Dayna Brill 

Debbie Marshall, IHO: Sandy Gillespie 

Mollie and Chad Mather, 

ICO: Ellie Mather 

UNDER THE OAK 

33

Ms. Brenda Matthews, ICO: Nia Stroud 

William Matthews, ICO: Nia Stroud 

Omolara and Ayo Medaiyese, 

IMO: Samiat Odunaiya 

Melvin and Susan Melnick, 

ICO: Sara and Leah Lipsitch 

Susan and Bynum Merritt, ICO: John Merritt 

Nancy and Tom Metzloff, 

ICO: Emily and Chris Metzloff 

Oleg Moiseenko, IMO: Linda Moiseenko 

Catriona Moore and Kyle Lundby, 

IHO: Amazing Duke School Teachers 

Beth and Ed Murgitroyd, 

ICO: Duke School Teachers 

Trish and John Neal, 

IHO: Ben and Lukas Koehler 

Dr. Pedi Neta and Mrs. Ruth Neta, 

ICO: Sophie Bahna-Neta 

Cal Nightingale, IHO: Karen Westbrook 

Dr. and Mrs. Franc Noel, ICO: Grace Gustafson 

Marty and Sayed Nour, ICO: Elaine Cameon 

Marilyn and Peter Ornstein, IHO: Sandy 

Gillespie for her wisdom and leadership 

during her tenure as Lower School director. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Orstad, 

ICO: Luke and Lilly Orstad 

Diane and Dale Pahl, 

IHO: Jonathan and Benjamin Pahl 

Florence and James Peacock, 

ICO: Isabella and Lucia Corral 

Natalie and Emiliano Corral, 

IHO: Bonnie Cohen 

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Proctor, 

ICO: Stella and Justice Freelon 

Mrs. Kathleen Przybycien, 

ICO: Lily and Max Przybycien 

Robyn and Richard Putnam, 

IMO: Bill Weaver and Crete Putnam 

Anita and Dale Pyles, ICO: Connor Dalton 

Linda Raftery and Phil Spiro, 

ICO: Adriane Spiro 

Elisandra Rangel and Marcos Rangel 

ICO: Tobia and Rebeca Rangel 

Michelle and Brian Reich, 

IHO: Dan Heuser and Rebecca Riley 

Dr. and Mrs. Barry Reiter, 

ICO: Alex and Lucy Reiter 

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Richards, 

ICO: Painter and Walker Richards-Baker 

Mr. Ira Robinson, 

IMO: Hazel Robinson 

Mr. and Mrs. Randy Rollins, 

ICO: Mary Hunter Millet 

Dina Rousset, 

ICO: Nathaniel Mills 

Joellen Schildkraut and Brian Annex 

ICO: Wonderful Experience at Duke School 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Schoene, 

ICO: Haley Marie Skye 

Ms. Meyressa Schoonmaker, 

IHO: Zadie Schoonmaker 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Selder, 

ICO: Chole and Lily Gilchrist 


IHO: Amy Lau and Tery Gunter 

Dr. and Mrs. James A. Smith, III, 

ICO: Lila and Emma Wills 

Janet and Roy Smith, 

ICO: Casey Smith Schine 

Eleanor and Mark Stevenson, 

ICO: Bridget Stevenson 

Eleanor and Mark Stevenson, 

ICO: Naomi Stevenson 

Betsy Strauss, IMO: James W. Strauss 

Ms. Nina Streitfeld, ICO: Kai Lance 

Emily and Lee Taft, IMO: Mary Scott Hoyt 

Candy and John Thompson, IHO: Tricia Neal 

Mrs. Norma Thompson, 

IMO: Mr. Edward Thompson 

Stacey and Eric Tisch, ICO: Lucy and Lily Tisch 

Dr. Virgilio Valdecanas and Dr. Erlinda 

Valdecanas, ICO: Nicholas and Olivia Aitkin 

Marki Watson, IHO: Sandy Gillespie 

Marlo and Dirk Wilcox, IMO: Julie Ane Anders 

Ms. Karen Williams, ICO: Kennedy Williams 

Sherrie and Richard Vinegar, 

ICO: Zandra and Zach Zweig-Vinegar 

Matching Gifts 

Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation 

Duke Energy Foundation 

GlaxoSmithKline Foundation 

IBM Corporation 

Itron Community Investment 

Just Give 

McKesson Foundation, Inc. 

NVIDIA 

UBS Employee Giving Program 

Waters Corporation 

Wells Fargo Foundation Educational 

Matching Gift Program 

Organizational GIving 

Coastal Federal Credit Union 



Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund 


Harris Teeter 

Mynt LTD 

Oak Foundation 

Progressive Business Solutions 

Schwab Charitable Fund 

Target 

Triangle Community Foundation, Inc 

TRUiST 

Event and School Sponsors 

A & E Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc 

Alivia’s Durham Bistro 

John Brown Jazz 


G.Allen, Inc. 

Global Aspect Human Capital Advisors LLC 

New Hope Animal Hospital 

The One Maid to Clean 

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy in the annual 

Honor Roll of Donors. If you have a question about a 

listing, please contact a member of the Development Office 

at (919) 493-9968. 

34 

UNDER THE OAK

Words cannot express all you have done 

You have helped many. Your gift shines like the sun. 

You have helped yours. You have helped ours. 

You have planted seeds so we may water flowers. 

Our flowers come in all shapes, sizes and colors. 

Our flowers are grandkids, children, sisters and brothers. 

They are friends, athletes, artists and writers. 

They are our suns which, with each day, shine brighter. 

Words cannot articulate nor actions express 

How your investment allows Duke School to be its best 

And, honestly, to know your impact, a crystal ball would be required 

Because of today’s dollars, tomorrow’s greatness has been inspired 

Thank you. 

UNDER Photo: THE OAK Molly Cronenwett 35

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36 

UNDER THE OAK 

Duke School is in the midst of its strategic 

planning process. The plan focuses on four 

major categories, referred to as PINE — 

Promoting Student Agency, Institutional 

Sustainability, Neighborhood Engagement 

and Educating Educators. 

Duke School’s road sign, an annual 

auction gift, was named in honor of the 

school’s strategic plan by the Sharma 

family - Panna, Jenny, Sophia, Dawson and 

Genevieve Sharma.

Duke School Under the Oak Magazine Fall 2016

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