McDonogh Magazine - Winter 2020

M c DONOGH
MAGAZINE
WINTER 2020

From the Board of Trustees 1
Head of School Message 2
Aha! 3-17
Circling the Hill 18-25
Scholarship Profile 26
Arts 28-31
Athletics 32-35
Our Proud Past 36-39
Alumni News/Class Notes 40-64
Nina C. Sinnott, Editor
Headmaster’s nsinnott@mcdonogh.org
Message 1
443-544-7035
From the Board of Trustees 2
Heather N. McPeters, Creative Director
Meredith F. Bower, Managing Editor
Friendships Forged on Foxleigh Hill 4-15
Beth Sauer Hopkins ’02, Alumni Editor
Michele Maas, Alumni Editor
Circling the Hill 16-24
Photography: Meredith Bower, Larry Canner,
Student Voices Mickey 25 Deegan, Bill Denison ’71, Leslie
Finkelstein, Sharon Hood, Beth Hopkins ’02,
Athletics 26-29 Irvin Simon Photographers, Michele Maas,
McDonogh Archives, Heather McPeters,
Arts 30-33Dave Radford, Danielle Schollaert, and
Nina Sinnott
Our Proud Cover Past photo: 34-35Dave Radford
Alumni News/Class Proofreaders: Notes Laura 36-64 Lewis Brown, Christine
Krause, Jen Little, and Danielle Schollaert
Nina C. Sinnott, Editor
nsinnott@mcdonogh.org
443.544.7035
Heather N. McPeters, Creative Director
Meredith F. Bower, Associate Editor
Jennifer A. Little, Alumni Editor
Photography: Archives, Paul Anderson,
Meredith Bower, Susan Cummings, Nancy Fleury,
Scott Heydrick, Jen Little, Alan MacDonald,
Laura McManus, Heather McPeters, Dave Radford,
Dana Rampola, Wayne Rourke, Brad Shelley,
Leslie Zuga
Cover Photography: Dave Radford
Proofreaders: Christine Krause, Jen Little,
Dan McGuire, Jennifer Pett
Design: Sherry McAllister, McAllister Design
Printing: Chip Sheridan ’83, GraphTec
McDonogh Magazine is published twice a year for
alumni, parents, and friends of the School, and is
printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified
paper. FSC certification ensures that the paper used
in this magazine contains fiber from well-managed
and responsibly harvested forests that meet strict
environmental and socioeconomic standards.
Design and Feature Story Photo Illustrations:
Sherry McAllister, McAllister Design
Printing: Chip Sheridan ’83, RRD
McDonogh Magazine is published twice a year
for alumni, parents, and friends of the school,
and is printed on Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) certified paper. FSC certification
ensures that the paper used in this magazine
contains fiber from well-managed and
responsibly harvested forests that meet strict
environmental and socioeconomic standards.
On the cover: Fifth grader Gabe Clark has an
out-of-this-world “Aha!” moment (or big brain
moment as he likes to call them) in Kirk
Robertson’s science class.
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
How do you remember your middle school years? Cool and confident or sweaty and
insecure? The trope about middle school is that for most people, just thinking about
those years is more likely to bring back PTSD than fond memories. However you reflect
on it now, middle school is a critical developmental time for kids, as they seek independence,
approval and belonging…simultaneously. All while battling hormonal hurricanes,
rebellious outbursts, and self-conscious fragility.
For 81 years, Finney Building was the place where McDonogh students spent some of
their most formative years. As the article on page 36 explains, although Finney Building
was initially planned as a dormitory, it opened in 1938 with faculty apartments and
middle school classrooms. Physically, the old Georgian overlooked John McDonogh Stadium
and has been a constant in the memories of generations of alumni. When Finney
Building was demolished in the fall, the void in our skyline left many of us with raw
emotions. However, at the November groundbreaking ceremony for the Marlene and
Stewart Greenebaum Middle School, that nostalgia was quickly replaced by excitement,
as our new building will feature flexible floor plans, a 21st-century library, an innovation
center, visual and performing arts areas, and cutting-edge technology. It’s clear this
building will foster the development and LifeReady learning of generations of middle
schoolers.
It took years to figure out how a new structure would best serve our students, our
program, and our campus. Handling the fundraising to pay for it was the tireless work
of the Philanthropy team who relied on the generosity of many donors, led by Michael
Greenebaum. We are equally thankful for the support of newer contributors, reminding
us that excitement about McDonogh’s potential is everywhere. Now that the funding
objectives for the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Middle School are satisfied, the
Philanthropy team is refocusing on our school’s endowment, which supports our people
and programs, and in simpler terms, our future.
As for me, I remember my years in the stifling Finney Building, drenched in sweat and
insecurity. My LifeReady experiences occurred largely on athletic teams, where we
learned that achievement as a group often means individual sacrifice and believing in
something larger than yourself. That was pretty heady stuff for a fifth grader. Over time,
those ideas translated into the pursuit of purpose, respect for others, and appreciation
for the roles needed in any group endeavor. More importantly, those shared middle
school experiences built lasting relationships that I value to this day. I am thrilled that
new generations of middle schoolers will have the chance to learn those lessons in the
beautiful new building. Minus the sweating; we’ll have air conditioning, after all.
Robert L. Young III ’86
President, Board of Trustees
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Robert L. Young III ’86
President
Michael W. Cummings
Vice President
Stanley J. Kraska, Jr. ’78
Treasurer
H. Stacey Boyer ’76
Secretary
Edward S. Ahn, M.D. ’92
Robert A. Bavar ’90
Robert W. Black III ’80
Steven K. Breeden ’76
Curtis H. Cornwell ’82
Leigh Ann Curl, M.D.
Irvin DeAndrei Drummond ’92
Brandon M. Etheridge ’03
Michael S. Fader ’07
Michael L. Falcone ’79
Kristin F. Finkelstein ’03
Ronnie B. Footlick
Michael I. Greenebaum
Janet M. Herbert ’83
Brett Ingerman ’87
Josh Jones-Dilworth ’98
Harry Kassap ’86
Richard E. Levine
John A. Luetkemeyer, Jr.
Steven S. Oh ’86
Callie J. Rahman
Patricia B. Raksin, M.D. ’88
Shawn W. Robinson, M.D. ’79
Henry A. Rosenberg, Jr. ’48
David D. Rothschild ’82
Richard Silberstein ’77
Taymour Tamaddon
Samuel H. Wright ’64
Trustees Emeriti
J. Paul Bright, Jr. ’41*
C. Read Carter ’38*
Judson G. Dimling*
Albert H. Dudley, Jr., M.D. ’40*
Arthur M. Gompf*
Herman L. Gruen*
Joseph S. Keelty ’40*
Basil T. Kelly ’49*
Jack A. Kolscher ’32*
J. William Middelton ’49*
Frederick O. Mitchell II ’50
Irvin S. Naylor ’54
S. Page Nelson*
Howard E. Rein ’21*
Howard L. Staley ’37*
Rodney G. Stieff ’43*
Headmaster Emeritus
Louis E. Lamborn*
*deceased
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1

HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE
My default position is to strive, push ahead, and achieve.
Reflection does not come easily or naturally to me. So
when I was asked to write about my “Aha!” moments,
I knew it was going to be a difficult assignment. But once
I began listing these important life moments, I quickly
filled several pages. This exercise, in itself, was an “Aha!”
moment. I can be reflective! However, in an effort to
spare you a long-winded ramble, I pared the list down
to a few of my McDonogh “Aha!” moments.
I was 12 years old living in Reisterstown and attending a
public school when my mother informed me that I would
take a “scholarship” test at a school in Owings Mills on a
Saturday morning. Bewildered but ever-dutiful, I took the
test, went through the admissions process, and was
awarded a McDonogh scholarship. The “Aha!” moment hit
me like a lightning bolt when my parents explained that
people I didn’t know had given money to the school to
support my education. The sense of awe I felt for this
foreign and wonderful concept of philanthropy has only
grown stronger in me over the years. As a result, I am an
unabashed fundraiser and joyful donor because of this
pivotal moment.
Experiencing the McDonogh community as a new
seventh grader was my next “Aha!” moment. I was
overwhelmed by, and frankly suspicious of, the level of
care and attention I immediately received from the
faculty. I had never experienced so many acts of
voluntary unselfishness in a school setting, and it took me
several months to realize that I had entered a whole new
world where relationships and values were at the center
of the culture. The norms, social fabric, and goodness of
McDonogh served as fertile soil for my teachers to plant
a seed that eventually grew into my calling and passion
for independent school education.
Fast forward to Reunion Weekend 2018—before I
officially began my tenure as Head of School. In the midst
of reconnecting with so many alumni, Paul Meurer ’83
introduced me to his 87-year-old father, Buck. While Buck
was expertly picking a crab, Paul asked him if he had any
advice for me. Without missing a beat or looking up from
his crab, Buck provided me with a simple but powerful
suggestion, “Smile a lot and be a good listener.” Buck
Meurer passed away eight months later. I continue to be
enlightened by his wisdom as I heed his advice in my
daily interactions.
My most recent “Aha!” moment occurred when I took on
a role in the recent Upper School play, The Laramie
Project. Honestly, acting is not my strength, so I
struggled mightily with nerves during the rehearsals and
performances. However, every time I walked off stage
after delivering my lines, a different student actor would
gently pat me on the back and offer a genuine word of
encouragement. It made me smile that students were
caring and supporting me (isn’t it supposed to be the
other way around?) and reinforced my belief that
McDonogh is indeed a community built on love, mutual
respect, and joy.
Working with McDonogh students is such a joy because
they, too, have so many “Aha!” moments, big and small,
every day. I hope you enjoy reading the following stories,
which feature a sampling of moments when our students
experienced wonder, revelation, and inspiration within
the McDonogh community.
David J. Farace ’87
Head of School
“EUREKA!” “BINGO!”
“NOW, I GET IT!” “AHA!”
Who hasn’t uttered one
of these expressions
when they’ve had a
moment of clarity? It
happens all the time in
large and small ways at
McDonogh. Some are
life-changing and others
are simply flashes of
comprehension. Some are
the result of reflection
and most are because
the brain has made a
connection. Enjoy the
enlightening stories of
some of our students’
“Aha!” moments; maybe
they will inspire your next
bright idea!
AHA!BY MEREDITH BOWER
“Aha!” moment (noun):
a moment of sudden
realization, inspiration,
insight, recognition,
or comprehension.
Also known as a light
bulb moment.
—Merriam Webster
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3

HA!
When he was in fourth grade, Charlie Fleury ’20 had an “Aha!” moment that
THE REAL REASON
CHARLIE FLEURY REMEMBERS PRINCIPLES
OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
turned into a memorable moment for him, his classmates, and their teacher,
Kara Zimmerman.
Charlie Fleury: I was in Mrs. Zimmerman’s science class and we were learning about
centrifugal force...on the fourth grade level. She was demonstrating it by swinging a
bucket of water over her head. She did it a couple of times, and we were all pretty
mesmerized that the water didn’t fall out. She explained the science or physics
behind it saying that there was an upward force created by the momentum of the
circular movement. The momentum held the water in the bucket so it didn’t fall on
her head. She did it over and over. But one time, the handle of the bucket broke off,
the bucket went flying, and water went everywhere. As fourth graders, we thought
it was very amusing.
Kara Zimmerman: The heart of the matter is that I poured a large amount of water
in a bucket and swung it around my head to demonstrate the way that centrifugal
force works. The students were surprised to learn the water never fell out! After it
went well the first time, I decided to break down how this science “trick” works
verbally, and then I attempted to show them the trick again. What I didn’t know was
that the handle of the bucket was loose, so as I swung it over my head, the bucket
launched from my hands directly into the wall, causing water to splash all over the
floor, the classroom computer, and several students.
CF: She may have been a little embarrassed, but we all had a lot of fun with it. The
lesson did stick with us for all the right reasons. It was a great learning experience,
and we had that great “Aha!” moment as a result of that mishap. It showed us how
much momentum and force was needed to swing the bucket around, so much so
that it broke the handle off. That’s when it hit me. When we learned about it in
physics in ninth grade, I thought back to that time and replayed that demonstration
in my head.
KZ: The rest of the class was dedicated to cleaning up the four or five gallons of
water that just flooded the science room! We had a good time, and I think it
was quite memorable for everyone.
It may not appear in
the shape of a light
bulb above your head,
but researchers say
“Aha!” moments are
marked by a surge of
electrical activity in
the brain.—WebMD
CF: At the end of fourth grade, we wrote letters to Lower School
teachers who had an impact on us. I wrote mine to Mrs.
Zimmmerman. She was such a fun, caring, and thoughtful
teacher. And she was a great sport.
KZ: I remember that note and I remember that lesson. Through
the years, Charlie and a few other seniors have repeatedly told
me how vividly they remember the centrifugal force lesson
working...the FIRST time.
CF: It feels good when it clicks. It’s interesting to see that what
we did in Lower School does stick with us in Upper School.
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5

AHA!
When I was younger, I wasn’t very interested in French.
CURIOSITY LEADS TO
LOVE OF FRENCH
This may come as a shock to anyone who knows me,
but it’s true. However, my world changed when I was in
the sixth grade at McDonogh. I wish I could say there
was a set moment, that moment when the light bulb
clicked and I instantly realized, “Wow! French is the
most beautiful language in the world, and I want to
spend the rest of my life knowing it!” But that wasn’t
the case. There was a click, but it wasn’t as dramatic as
looking into the sky and seeing a ray of sunshine beam
down on 11-year-old me as the clouds parted; it was
more of a sparked curiosity for the language that
developed throughout the year—little things caught my
attention: the softness as it flowed off the tongue, the
beautiful “r” sound, how much faster it was than
English, but at the same time maintaining a graceful
rhythm of fluidity. Curiosity led to exploration, as I
decided class alone was not enough time to venture
into the depths of the French world.
YouTube was already my hotspot for entertainment
through cartoons and gaming videos, so I decided to
visit the French side of the popular network. Once I
discovered this new sphere of videos and movies, I
never moved back to the English part of town. Never
having put more than lipgloss on in my life, full-faced
makeup tutorials became a regular simply because
became a constant habit (that still annoys my sister to
this day!). Furthermore, I created my own YouTube
channel in French and met new friends from around the
world. My typically shy demeanor opened up as I
participated in Skype calls with other teenage
YouTubers from France, Belgium, and Switzerland,
allowing my nerves to roll off of me as I enjoyed myself
during our funny and craze-filled conversations.
Fortunately, my teachers and my family completely
supported me and my passion (even though no one in
my family speaks French). For example, when I was in
Middle School, my mom found a French school in
Washington, D.C. where I enrolled during summer
break. It was an opportunity and experience that I will
never forget.
In Upper School, I have been given incredible
opportunities to advance my language skills. Ms. Bind,
my mentor for the past three years, has been amazing.
Beyond introducing me to delicious French cuisine and
watching French movies and news stations, we have
profound discussions (in French, of course) on political
and social topics relevant to French-speaking countries
as well as the United States. And because McDonogh
has offered me so many opportunities over the years to
pursue my love of French, this year I am teaching
Lower School students the basics of the language. I
they were in French; my video game obsession was
hope to spark something in them that, like me, ignites a
further fueled upon the discovery of gameplays of my passion—a passion that changed the course of my life.
favorite Nintendo DS games; and the French version of
—By Ariana Frazier ’20
Do You Want to Build a Snowman remained on repeat,
as I often listened to this song in the car as I gazed out
the window. French became a passion that flowed
deeply through my veins, as I experienced
4 Steps to Having More
unimaginable joy while progressing along my language
“Aha!” Moments
journey. When I first started to watch videos in French,
1. No matter how busy you are,
everything was jumbled into what seemed like words
take breaks.
spoken at an unnaturally superhuman speed. As I
2. Allow yourself to daydream.
started to watch and listen more every day, I was able
3. Lift your spirits or take a nap
to decipher little by little the intricate parts of the
to inspire a breakthrough.
language, that feeling you get when the pieces of a
4. Don’t overthink it. Focus on
challenging puzzle are finally coming together.
something else.
—The Harvard Business Review
These “petits moments” added up, making me want to
attain complete fluency. Talking to myself in French
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ROOTS FARM
FUELS INTEREST IN NATURE
LOVE OF LEARNING,
LIFETIME OF DISCOVERY
how the lesson in cells translated to an earlier lesson
on the human body. He lights up as he describes
the connection: “Even the simplest organism is very
complicated. The body is so complicated and it does
Our very conception of an
everything right all the time. It’s amazing!”
“Aha! Moment” is that it comes
out of nowhere. The idea doesn’t
AHA!
Landon’s excitement doesn’t stop with science. “My
come out of nowhere, it just feels
two favorite subjects are actually math and science.
that way because our brain is doing a
I like how math and science are related,” he says,
lot of behind-the-scenes work without
our direct awareness. Thinking of
noting that he plans to go to Harvard and become a
creativity as a two-step process of collect
physicist...that is, after he plays professional tennis for
Josh DaPra ’29, bulb go off when he was sitting at the kitchen table and said, ‘I
and reflect, moves us away from merely
a few years.
waiting for the proverbial lightning to
an avid
must write a report about all these cool facts!’ He suddenly felt
strike. If a brilliant idea is not coming, researcher, that it was his personal responsibility as a part of the Roots
He loves school and uses words like “cool” to describe
it is usually time to either change your says he has Squad to report his findings so that the students and Farmer
simplifying a math equation without knowing the
environmental conditions in order to always loved Hood could properly take good care of Henry.”
variable because it builds on what he learned in
better reflect, or go out and start
nature and
previous lessons. He compares the way his mother
collecting more content. The more
Josh wrote the report and shared it with the other members of
science, so it
was taught with how he is learning, and says, “Mrs.
unusual, the better. —Tech Ethicist
the Squad. Weeks later, during the stroll around Roots, over the
David Ryan Polgar
seemed fitting for
Fried always makes connections to things and tells us
cacophony of Henry’s gobbling, Josh’s research came to life.
him to join the Roots
why. She makes it fun and everything comes back to
“When I met Henry, he gobbled a lot. That made sense because
Squad—an end-of-day
what we learned earlier.” It’s another “Aha!” moment.
they like to let people know that they are there,” he explains.
activities option for third and
“Also, when he calms down his beard turns from red to a bluishgray.
It’s like a person when they get angry, they turn red.”
and social studies. For fun, he is reading about the fall
Landon is equally enthusiastic about language arts
fourth graders. Each week, the gaggle of girls and boys is
exposed to the wonders of McDonogh’s farm as they help with a
of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottomans in 1453, and
variety of chores. In late September, when Director of Roots
According to his mother, the experience on the farm has had
he says he can recite the history of World War I in an
Farm Sharon Hood shared the news that McDonogh would soon quite an impact on Josh and his sense of caring for animals and
hour and four minutes. To prove his point, he begins,
be fostering three Black Spanish turkeys, Josh was intrigued. the environment. She says that being part of the Roots Squad
“1914 is the year Europe goes to war. Europe at the
and his exposure to Henry has led him to feel passionate about
“The thing is, I’ve had this passion for science since I was in
time is divided between major rival alliances…”
the farm and the campus.
preschool,” Josh explains while on a stroll at Roots with Henry,
But Landon hasn’t just memorized facts, he
the elegant male of the turkey trio. “I want to learn more about She adds, “He has expressed how he thinks it is his responsibility
understands the relationship between them. And
biology, so when Farmer Hood said we were going to get
to do the ‘greatest possible amount of good’ by taking care of
learning about one thing drives him to want more. “I
turkeys, I wanted to know more.”
the beauty and nature that McDonogh’s campus has to offer.”
love to research random stuff,” he says with a laugh.
Josh’s mother, Laura Plitt DaPra ’02, shares what happened
Speaking as a nine-year-old who may not yet see the big picture,
Each random bit of information is tucked away in his
next. “He started looking up information about the turkey and Josh simply says, “It makes me more interested in nature.”
brain waiting to make a connection and become his
realized that there was a lot to learn.” She says, “I saw the light
next “Aha!” moment.
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Sixth grader Landon Tamaddon has been having
“Aha!” moments for as long as he can remember.
They happen when he makes a connection between
pieces of information. And he is constantly making
connections. He distinctly remembers being a
kindergartner and documenting the changes that
occurred each day as his class watched a caterpillar
turn into a butterfly.
More recently, it was in science class when they
extracted DNA from a pea plant. He could clearly see

FIFTH GRADER BREAKS OUT THE BIG BRAIN
AHA!
WORDS OF WISDOM
HIT HOME
Aria Bilal ’21 had an “Aha!” moment in 2017 at
the annual Scholarship Luncheon. The alumni
speaker, Darrius Heyward-Bey ’05, a member of
the Pittsburgh Steelers at the time, spoke about his
McDonogh experience and how when he arrived as
a freshman he adjusted to his new environment by
getting to know all kinds of people and allowing
them to know him and his character. It’s a strategy
he said he still uses today.
It was at the Scholarship Luncheon when I was
in ninth grade and Darrius Heyward-Bey was the
speaker. There was a lot going on in my life at the
time, and I was having trouble finding my group.
I remember he said that coming to McDonogh was
hard for him at first because he didn’t know where
he fit in. But soon, thanks to the guidance of his
mother, his aunt, his teachers, and coaches, he
got to know everyone, not just the athletes. And
he let people know who he was. He said that they
helped him realize that he didn’t have to fit in with
one group and that it was okay to float and get to
know people from all different backgrounds with all
different interests.
Some people call “Aha!” moments light bulb moments, but fifth grader
Gabe Clark has his own term—big brain moments. He describes a recent
incident when he broke out his big brain in science class. Gabe explains
that they were calculating the distance to Alpha Centauri, the closest
star to Earth, when suddenly the scale they were using gave him an
understanding of how massive the universe really is. For him, it was
almost mind-blowing.
As Gabe speaks about the experience, you can see the gears
Oprah Winfrey, who
in his brain turning as he connects one thing to another.
popularized the term “Aha!”
moment, says, “I always love
“The thing about big brain moments is that it takes
those moments when I sit
time,” he thoughtfully says. “They come to you slowly
down to talk to somebody and
and eventually. It’s like you called in the electrician,
they say things that make me
they fixed the light bulb, and it shines even brighter.”
look at life or a situation in a
completely different way.” She
Then, as he realizes the connection between his ideas
explains that it’s the kind of a
on big brain moments and Thomas Edison’s literal light
“light bulb, bing bing bing
bulb moment, he adds, “You can have one big brain
moment,” in which “the little
moment that blows the world away like Thomas Edison.
hairs on your arms stand up.”
He had the one idea and it changed the world.”
—oprahmag.com
When he said that, I thought, “Wow, I thought that
I was the only one who felt that way.” That was my
“Aha!” moment. He said a McDonogh education
sets you up for life through the experiences that
you have and the people you meet. When he said
that, I thought, “Yes, I am meant to be here.” I
have reflected on that and now know I have had
experiences I wouldn’t have had at any other school.
Recently, I went to a Middle School soccer practice
and told this story. Later, an eighth grade girl
connected with me and said: “I feel the same way.”
Having someone older that you can look up to is
important.
It’s part of a normal high schooler’s journey to think
you are the only one who feels a certain way. But
when Darrius spoke, I thought, “I’m good.”
—As told to Meredith Bower
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AHA!
In Charlotte Messaris’s 13 years at McDonogh she’s had many revelations.
This poignant moment, which bookends her time at McDonogh, is the result
of the spontaneity of her 30 or so prefirst classmates and a beloved Lower
School song.
Members of the Baker’s Dozen (students who attend McDonogh from
kindergarten through twelfth grade) recently got together for our yearbook
photo on the Lower School playground. Upon gathering at the pirate
ship, a few students began to sing our Lower School song, “Be the Best
of Whatever You Are.” As more people joined in, I experienced a flood of
memories relating to that song and its place in my McDonogh experience.
Whether it be at chapel assemblies or my fourth grade graduation, “Be
the Best of Whatever You Are” taught self-respect and united all students
singing it under McDonogh’s tradition. On that Tuesday morning, that song
connected me to classmates that I have known forever but may not have
spoken to for years.
In that moment of singing together, I looked around at my friends and began
to reflect on why I have stayed for 13 years. Since my first year on campus,
I have liked doing things “my style,” and in fact, that’s the reason I came
to McDonogh. I have always been a creative, independent thinker, a trait
that often would manifest itself in frustrating ways, but McDonogh was the
only place that celebrated me for being me. Throughout my Lower School
experience, my teachers were loving and patient enough to guide me but
also preserve what makes me special.
Now, 13 years later, my focus has shifted to leaving McDonogh behind. Lately, I
look beyond high school and work to complete college applications, but when
I sang that song with my classmates, I realized just how much I don’t want to
leave. For so long, I have regarded McDonogh as just a school—you arrive at
8:15 and leave at 4:00. Although I’ve been attending McDonogh for more than
a decade, it’s so odd to think that I had yet to appreciate its lasting impact on
my life. Because of that moment on the playground, I now fully grasp what
makes my school so special and the stamp it has
placed on my heart. —Charlotte Messaris ’20
A REVELATION ABOUT
WHAT MAKES MCDONOGH SPECIAL
Most of the time, ideas
develop from the steady
percolation and evaluation of
thoughts and feelings. But
every so often, if you’re
lucky, a blockbuster notion
breaks through in a flash of
insight that’s as unexpected
as it is blazingly clear.
—“Behind those Life-
Changing Transformational
Aha Moments,” Bruce
Grierson, Psychology Today
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13

LITTLE MOMENTS
Every day, “Aha!” moments are happening all over campus.
Teachers who see the light bulbs go on are often far more
aware that it’s happening than their students. As educators,
they know how to make concepts come to life and nothing
brings them more satisfaction than when a child “gets it.”
Whether students realize it or not, each little moment is
making an impression. Here are a few examples reported by
teachers about their students:
• Upper School English teacher Michele McFarland shares
that last year after explaining a writing structure/formula
to her class to help them envision the organization of their
written work, she could tell that freshman Owen Pett “got
it.” She says, “His work improved, but more importantly, his
confidence soared. I presented a path and he made it work!”
• “In my seventh grade Surround Sound class, we were
learning about cassette tapes and how they work. I had them
act it out,” explains Middle School Band Director Elizabeth
Irvine. “They had to pretend to record on the tape and then
rewind the tape so they could play it back.” She says that
Langston Riding’s “Aha!” moment came when she made the
connection between the rewind button she sees all the time
and how it actually means winding back a tape.
• Elaine Bind says that her French IV students have many
“Aha!” moments when they delve into etymology. She gives
a recent example of when they encountered the French
word chute, a noun meaning fall. “When I asked them
to think about the English word, as in laundry chute or a
trash chute, they had a small ‘Aha!’ Then, we looked at the
word parachute. One meaning of the prefix para is to guard
against, which brought a louder ‘Aha!’” She goes on to say
that when they looked at the word parasol and French word
parapluie (umbrella or guard against rain), it elicited a whole
chorus of “Ahas!”
• Fourth grade teacher Sara Madgey was doing simple
meditation with her students during which they had to calm
their minds and their breathing by pretending to have a boat
on their stomachs. The goal was not to rock the imaginary
boat. The exercise gave one of Madgey’s students, Abby
Richter, an idea. “That night, Abby went home and got to
work to make this activity even better for our class. She
taught herself how to make small origami boats and brought
one in for each of her classmates so they could continue to
complete this meditation, but with something physical to
help them steady their boat,” Madgey shares.
AHA!
From the time he arrived at McDonogh as a kindergartner, Isaiah Kessler ’20
EXPERIENCE LEADS TO DISCOVERY THAT THE
BEST TOOLS FOR SUCCESS ARE WITHIN
was a steady student, but he admits that in his sophomore year he began to
lose focus and struggled to keep up with classes and deadlines. It was a
concern for both Isaiah and his teachers who knew he was a capable
student. “I thought there was something wrong with the way I was
studying,” he says, noting that even going for extra help only slightly
improved things. Math teacher Jan Kunkel stepped in and began working
with Isaiah on time-management and test-taking skills. “She pushed me to
do better, not just in math but in chemistry and science,” he says, adding,
“The McDonogh community is very uplifting.”
That summer, Isaiah earned an internship at Third Way Farm, an organic and
sustainable farm in Havre de Grace, Maryland, where he worked 12-hour
days, seven days a week caring for and harvesting crops, poultry, and
livestock. The experience changed his perspective. Isaiah says, “The farm
put missing pieces together and put me on the right track. I saw what I was
capable of and I saw that I had the skills I needed to do well and accomplish
what I really wanted.”
He realized that he was vital to the operation and that doing a good job was
important to his own self-worth. “If I didn’t do something, I wouldn’t just be
letting myself down but the owner of the farm, too. All of it would fall apart
if I didn’t stay on top of my stuff.”
Isaiah’s revelation on the farm mirrored the lessons he learned from his
McDonogh teachers and helped prepare him for the following school year.
He says, “At the start of junior year, I was super focused and ready to pound
out any obstacle or any challenge that came along. I stayed on top of
everything, and at the end of the year, it felt great to have a big jump.”
As a senior, Isaiah now helps staff McDonogh’s Writing Center, a
collaborative space where Upper School student advisors help their peers
improve their writing. “I want to help other people walk through the process
a little earlier than I did,” says Isaiah, noting that his own writing improved
junior year after taking the elective The City in Literature: Baltimore. “It was
so cool to read things about the place I actually live. I connected to the
class, so I was able to write about it really well, and my writing, in general,
took a giant leap,” he explains.
Isaiah looks to his future with confidence and the knowledge that the best
tools for success are within him. As he wrote in his college essay, “My brain
has the power to understand, to teach, to empathize, to grow.” Reflecting on
the contrast between his McDonogh experience and the summer of farm
labor and how together they changed his perspective, he says, “Everyone
has a story of who they are, where they come from, and who they will
become. I look to college to learn and teach people this idea. I push to show
people that life is not one-sided.”
14 >>> 15
>>>

A LEGACY OF
MAKING THE WORLD A LITTLE BRIGHTER
As she grew older, she continued to assist with Lower
a role model. She has become their mentor, teaching
School projects to benefit people who were homeless.
them how to work with the current prefirst students
She slowly became more aware of who she was
on projects such as packaging trail mix, assembling
helping and why after giving out so many hygiene kits,
hygiene kits, and making fleece blankets.
blankets, and snacks, there was still a need. By fourth Laya sees herself in the younger students and explains
grade, Laya had written her first grant requesting
why their involvement is so important. “I’m going to
funds to purchase supplies for the current class of first graduate and of course don’t want the projects to end.
graders to make the kits. But it wasn’t until she was in There are still homeless people who need our help.
Middle School that everything clicked.
AHA!
These fourth graders are enthusiastic about helping
others. They are excited to be a part of something
“My ‘Aha!’ moment was when I actually met the men
powerful and impactful,” she says.
and women that I was helping and personally gave
them a blanket or trail mix. When I heard their stories, Henry, who under Laya’s supervision recently led the
I realized ‘Wow, this is really impactful,’” Laya recalls. prefirst grade in packaging trail mix, says, “I remember
the first time working with Laya. She told us these kits
Throughout Middle and Upper School, she continued
are going to go out all around Baltimore. That meant a
working with Irving and the younger students. She
lot to me.”
also continued raising money (more than $12,500 to
date) and collecting donations of hundreds of coats, Paula recalls making the connection between seeing
blankets, and backpacks. Along the way, as she came a person living on the streets and the things they
to know some of the people living on the streets, she were doing in school. “I have always wanted to
learned not to judge the circumstances of make a difference and find a way that would mean
their homelessness. “I realized that something to others. When I saw this opportunity to do
they are human, just like me, something, I thought I could help,” she says.
and that we all deserve to
An “Aha!” moment can hit
While the compassionate fourth graders may not yet
have shelter, food, and
without warning or come about
fully realize the impact of their efforts, helping people
warmth in the winter,”
after prolonged deliberation,
who are homeless has become second nature. It’s just
but it can be the start of
she says.
a matter of time before they, like Laya, have an “Aha!”
something marvelous—a flash
For the past seven moment and understand how their efforts are helping
that leads to a visionary idea, an
years, Laya has
to make the world a little brighter.
exciting adventure, a solution to
a problem, a collaborative
been a presence in
endeavor, or an act of kindness.
It may also be the impetus for
creative expression.
—Joanne Foster, EdD,
The Creativity Post
16 >>> 17
>>>
When Laya Neelakandan ’20 was a first grader, her
teacher, Mary-Catherine Irving, involved the entire
grade in a project to package winter hygiene kits,
including socks and snacks, for men and women
living on the streets of Baltimore. Like most of
her classmates on the assembly line, Laya tucked
notes of encouragement into the bags with a vague
understanding of who the recipients were.
the prefirst and first grade classrooms, demonstrating
to the younger students how to pack snacks and
sharing with them how much the people on the
streets appreciate the gesture. Just as Irving sparked
her interest, Laya has ignited the interest of younger
students, in particular, four current fourth graders,
(pictured right with Laya) Rajan Marwaha, Henry Label,
Kenzie Gardner, and Paula Cooke, who consider her

CIRCLING THE HILL
JOHN WOOD AND
STEVE MARTEL
ADD FACULTY CHAIR RECIPIENT TO LIST OF SIMILARITIES
John Wood and Steve Martel have a similar history that goes
beyond the fact that they are both passionate about their
subject—history. They share a love of music; their comfortable
classrooms are filled with a thought-provoking and eclectic
collection of artistic, political, and musical tchotchkes; and they
both are firm believers in social engagement and change.
At the opening faculty meeting of the school year, much to their
surprise, they added another similarity to the list. They were
both presented with endowed teaching chairs, the most
prestigious honor any McDonogh educator can earn. Chairs
recognize great teaching as well as a commitment to the
McDonogh community.
At McDonogh, when faculty chairs are given, the names of the
recipients are a tightly held secret. During the presentation of the
award, Head of School Dave Farace ’87 attempts to keep the
crowd guessing the winner by not revealing his or her subject
area, division, or gender until the very end of his remarks. When
the teaching chairs were awarded in August, the similarities
between Wood of the Upper School and Martel of the Middle
School became even more apparent. In his remarks, Farace
described one (Martel) as a “Renaissance man,” and of the other
(Wood), he said, “He is particularly proud of helping struggling
students succeed by encouraging them to think outside the box.
That’s probably because he thinks outside the box.”
After dropping a few hints like: “A rabid soccer fan, he has also
dabbled in basketball, distance running, and martial arts
(Wood)” and “He sent his faculty to Chicago and other historical
sites so they could more thoroughly understand their curriculum
(Martel),” it became apparent who the winners were.
Before presenting The Raymond B. Oliver ’40 Teaching Chair to
Wood, Farace said, “And that leads me to share the most
wonderful part of Dr. John W. Wood III. His dry wit and his ability
to laugh at himself engage students on all levels, whether it’s in
class, on a trip to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, or
playing around in the wrestling room. His intellect is widely
respected by colleagues and students alike, and his joy in
learning—through musical instruments, languages, sports,
traveling, or new historical topics—is contagious.”
When revealing that Martel was the recipient of the Rollins-
Luetkemeyer Teaching Chair, Farace said, “If you know our
honoree, Steve Martel, you know his life is full because of his love
of music. Whether playing music as a way to educate students
about the historical era they are studying in his class, teaching
them how to play garage band music in his Rock Shop club,
jamming with kids during an assembly, or entertaining us all as a
part of the faculty band, Steve is most joyful and at peace in
these moments.”
>>>
From left: Upper School history teacher John
Wood and Middle School social studies teacher
Steve Martel are proud recipients of endowed
teaching chairs.
>>>
Seniors Surya Khatri, Sanai Fitchett, Garrett
Kappes, Harrison Beattie, and Hannah Dunleavy
were the December recipients of the character and
leadership shirts.
CELEBRATING
CHARACTER
“McDonogh is a community that celebrates
achievement. I also believe that we are a
community that celebrates character,” says
Head of School Dave Farace ’87. It’s why this
year, he has instituted a tradition that quietly
celebrates both.
Each month, a handful of Upper School
students are invited to Farace’s office for a
reason of which they are not quite sure. When
they arrive, they discover that they have been
nominated by a member of the administration
for exhibiting character and leadership. After
sharing what it was that earned them the
nomination, the students are presented with a
t-shirt that reads, ”We give something more
than we take,” a line from The McDonogh
Uniform, an enduring poem written by Eustace
Glascock (Class of 1879). By the smiles on their
faces, it’s clear that the students whose
positive character is second nature are proud
of the recognition.
Among the reasons students have been
nominated this school year are: organizing
service work on campus, being invested in
the well-being of classmates, putting others
above self, being a team leader, helping to
organize events, and promoting mental
health awareness.
Needless to say, their colleagues were as thrilled for Wood and
Martel as the two were for each other. —Meredith Bower
18 >>> 19
>>>

CIRCLING THE HILL
1 2 3
4 5 6
INAUGURAL
EAGLEFEST A HIT
7 8 9
10 11 12
McDonogh’s inaugural EagleFest on Friday, November 1, the eve of the
104th McDonogh-Gilman football game, was a huge success attracting
nearly 500 parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, faculty, staff,
and friends. Held beneath a tent on the Rosenberg Campus Green,
members of the McDonogh Family enjoyed dinner, dancing, a raffle, and a
100-bottle wine grab. A true highlight was having Jon Aaron ’72, Wright
Abbot, Cynthia Cox, Laddie Levy ’63, and Jim Tsouvalos behind the bar.
Head of School Dave Farace ’87 noted, “The celebration was a true
testament to the relationships forged through the McDonogh experience.”
A big thank you to EagleFest Co-Chairs Nichole Ward and Merritt Miller,
the event steering committee, and the many event sponsors.
>>>
1. David Holland ’90 and Karen Copemann
2. Archana Rami, Roger Kelly, and Bimal Rami
3. Robin Edlow Heller ’00 and Noni Heller
4. Melanie Schlott and Nichole Ward
5. Simita Talwar, Cephus Smith ’98, and Nicole Smith
6. Leslie Schaller, Joe Schaller, Adam Miller,
Dan Sciubba, Karrie Sciubba, and Merritt Miller
7. Jason Olszewski ’99, Heather Wheeler, Diane
Olszewski, and Mike Wheeler ’99
8. Jim Tsouvalos
9. Joy Robinson Singer ’95, Brian Singer ’95,
Cristina Ginsberg, Michael Greenberg ’95,
Jesse Trahan, and Krista Trahan
10. Merritt Miller and Maria Miller
11. Kara Zimmerman, Carole White, Doug White,
and Match Zimmerman ’02
12. Lindsay Lochte, Francesca Uberoi, Blaire Miller,
Sierra Waldman, Jamie Bandelin, and Jennifer Kwicien
>>>
20 21
>>>

CIRCLING THE HILL
NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL NAME REVEALED DURING ROCKIN’
GROUNDBREAKING
The November 5 Groundbreaking
Ceremony to kick off construction
of a new, state-of-the-art Middle
School building was full of surprises.
would be so proud of all the donors
who followed our gift with their own
generous gifts. Together, we are
building a stronger McDonogh.”
with students—from one-on-one
meetings to hands-on group lessons.
In addition to flexible classrooms, it
will house a 21st-century library, an
In addition to being welcomed by
innovation center, visual and
To the children in the audience, he
the beat of the fourth grade drum
performing arts spaces, and a
said, “When I look at all of your
corps and discovering that one of
learning center—all centrally located
faces, I am overwhelmed with
McDonogh’s trustees is quite a rock
under one roof, which will foster
emotion because it is for you and
star, the students, faculty, and
cross-curricular experiences as well
future generations that this new
donors in attendance learned the
as interactions among students and
Middle School is being built. I am not
name of the new building: The
faculty. The cutting-edge space will
addressing you as kids or students,
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum
be infused with the best of today’s
I see future doctors, cancer
Middle School.
technology and the infrastructure to
researchers, engineers, and yes,
accommodate tomorrow’s.
When announcing the name, Head maybe even a World Series MVP
of School Dave Farace ’87 said, “The for the Baltimore Orioles.”
While the new Middle School is
Greenebaum family name stands for
replacing the 1930s-era Finney
The ceremonial first dig was
loyalty, commitment, hard work, and
Building (more about Finney Building
performed by Farace, Michael
service. These are traits that we aim
on page 36), the Finney name will be
Greenebaum and his wife, Adele;
to teach our students each and
preserved on campus. During the
President of the Board of Trustees
every day. It is both fitting and
ceremony it was announced that The
Rob Young ’86; former Head of
appropriate that our new Middle
Senior Quad in front of the Marlene
Middle School Darren Ford; Associate
School will bear this special name.”
and Stewart Greenebaum Middle
Head of Middle School Jennifer
School will be refurbished and named
Michael Greenebaum, a longtime Bowders; and seventh grade students
the Finney Senior Quad as a tribute
McDonogh parent and trustee, Langston Riding and Mark Cherches.
to Dr. John M. T. Finney, a longserving
member and former
pledged $8 million to the project on Then, much to the surprise of
behalf of the Stewart and Marlene attendees, Michael Greenebaum, an
President of the Board of Trustees.
Greenebaum Family Foundation in accomplished guitarist, joined the
early 2019. In making the lead gift,
the Greenebaum family challenged
the greater McDonogh community
Middle School Rock Shop band in
playing “Taking Care of Business”
by Bachman–Turner Overdrive.
Construction of the Marlene and
Stuart Greenebaum Middle School is
expected to take 18 months.
to come together and raise the
—Nina Sinnott
The Marlene and Stewart
remaining funds to make the
Greenebaum Middle School will
much-needed building a reality.
greatly enhance teaching and
During the ceremony, Michael
Greenebaum shared, “My parents
learning with flexible spaces that
will accommodate every interaction
CEREMONY
22
>>>
>>>
23

CIRCLING THE HILL
GREATEST GOOD MCDONOGH:
NEW PROGRAM TO INSPIRE
SOCIAL IMPACT LEADERS
In mid-December, Head of School Dave Farace ’87
communicated with the greater McDonogh community
that he was “wildly excited” to announce Greatest Good
McDonogh, a signature program that will prepare students
in prekindergarten through twelfth grade to create
positive, sustainable change in the world.
Inspired by the work of the Do Good Institute at the
University of Maryland and aligned with McDonogh’s
LifeReady academic plan, Greatest Good McDonogh is
designed to foster philanthropic and social innovation
abilities in students, empowering them to make a
difference in communities locally and globally through
real-life applications.
“Instilling public-spirited values and a passion for social
engagement at a young age is so important,” says Farace.
“In the words of our founder, John McDonogh, this
program will prepare the next generation of leaders ‘to do
the greatest possible amount of good.’”
>>>
Head of School Dave Farace ’87 (left) and The Charles W. Britton Director
of Character and Service Bridget Collins ’90 present David Rothschild ’82,
Director of The Rothschild Foundations, with a piece of art created by
kindergarten students as a thank you for his passionate support of
Greatest Good McDonogh.
The Rothschild Foundations, which are dedicated to
supporting educational initiatives that inspire
philanthropic and social engagement, have committed
financial resources to launch Greatest Good McDonogh.
“The world desperately needs more leaders who are
socially connected and philanthropically inclined. We
are ardent supporters of the Do Good Institute, and
we are ecstatic to be partnering with McDonogh
School on this transformational program,” says
McDonogh trustee David Rothschild ’82, who is
Director of The Rothschild Foundations.
The team at the Do Good Institute is equally
enthusiastic about the launch of this new program.
“We are thrilled to see the creation of Greatest Good
McDonogh to help develop the next generation of
nonprofit and social impact leaders. The Do Good
Institute believes any student—no matter their age,
background, or area of interest—can apply their
passions and ideas to make a positive impact in the
world today,” says Robert Grimm, Do Good Institute
Director at the University of Maryland and Levenson
Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership.
“We can’t wait to see what McDonogh students can
accomplish in this new program and hope to see them
in our programs after they graduate!”
The need for humanitarian-minded leaders is
significant. According to research from the Do Good
Institute, fewer Americans are engaging in their
communities by volunteering and giving than at any
time in the last two decades.
“An important component of Greatest Good McDonogh
is to establish partnerships with other schools and
organizations and to connect McDonogh students with
peers in the region so they can collaborate on solving
problems and experience firsthand the joy of doing
good,” explains Farace. “Through this outreach, it is our
hope that more and more young people will develop a
philanthropic mindset and become a force for good in
the world.”
Rothschild adds, “The Greatest Good McDonogh
concept emerged from our work in McDonogh’s
Strategic Innovation Committee and builds on the
school’s ongoing commitment to character education
and its LifeReady Academic Plan. Greatest Good
McDonogh fits perfectly with McDonogh’s legacy as a
character-driven institution and our long-term goals of
preparing leaders for the future of society.”
“Greatest Good McDonogh is both an innovative
adventure and a deep commitment that challenges us
to use our hearts and minds to be catalysts for positive
change in our city, region, and the world,” says Bridget
Collins ’90, The Charles W. Britton Director of Character
and Service at McDonogh. “It will help ensure that
McDonogh is a place where the art and craft of doing
good is central to every student’s education.”
A national search is underway for a program director
who will develop and lead Greatest Good McDonogh.
The new program will officially launch in September
2020. —Nina Sinnott
KEY ASPECTS OF
GREATEST GOOD
MCDONOGH
• McDonogh faculty and staff will collaborate
with the University of Maryland Do Good Institute
team to develop and refine new interdisciplinary
courses, facilitate and judge student-led projects
and ideas, and measure the impact of the program.
• The Greatest Good McDonogh program will be
incorporated into lessons across disciplines to
ensure that students of all ages develop philanthropic,
empathetic, action-oriented mindsets and engage
in the design and implementation of social impact
initiatives of consequence.
• As part of the schoolwide curriculum, students and
teachers will pursue mutually sustaining partnerships
with a wide range of organizations and other
mission-aligned entities to involve students in
the processes and actions that make a measurable
difference in the world.
• Through this experiential learning program, students
will discover that anyone can be a philanthropist and
do the “greatest possible amount of good.”
24 >>> 25
>>>

SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE
MARK KOSKI ’86 GIVES BACK
IN A VARIETY OF WAYS
Much of what has made Mark Koski ’86
who he is today can be attributed to
his time at McDonogh. He’s an early
riser, a hard worker, and one who is
grateful for the opportunities he’s
been given.
Koski arrived as a freshman, and like
all scholarship students at the time,
he was required to live on campus
and help with daily chores. Each
morning before breakfast, a faculty
supervisor assigned the students to
one of many tasks, including trash
removal, sweeping, cleaning, or horse
stall mucking—when deserved. It was
a daily requirement that in retrospect
he appreciates. “It wasn’t difficult,”
Koski remembers, “just a responsibility
that got you out of bed in the morning
and made you feel like you were
contributing to the school and earning
your scholarship.”
The transition to McDonogh was
tough for Koski, a self-declared smart
aleck who was suddenly independent.
But thanks to the teachers, coaches,
mentors, and dorm parents who
guided him, he quickly learned
that independence came with the
responsibility to be self-disciplined and
respectful. Before long, he was all in.
As Koski adjusted to student life, he
became more involved on campus.
He played football and joined the
wrestling team, sang in the chorus, and
formed many close friendships with
his classmates. He looks back fondly
on how special the social environment
was, saying, “It didn’t matter what
you were into—science, arts, sports,
or whatever—everyone got along with
everyone, especially in the dorms.”
Longtime math teacher Ceil Millar,
who first met Koski when he was
applying to McDonogh, recalls, “Mark
made the adjustment to the academic
expectations through hard work
and persistence. He was a big fan of
McDonogh School from day one and
became a significant school citizen
and leader. He also had a great heart
and lots of school spirit; he couldn’t
have been more proud to be a
McDonogh student.”
Koski’s scholarship experience
had an incredible impact on him,
which has inspired him to give
back to McDonogh as well as other
organizations. “I didn’t realize it at
the time, but looking back, I really
appreciate the experience,” he admits.
Today, he is an active mentor with the
Scholarship Program, and he faithfully
attends the annual Scholarship
Luncheon, declaring it the best event of
the year. “The stories from scholarship
students really hit home and make
you understand how important it is to
sustain this program that impacts so
many people in so many ways. It
makes you want to participate, give
back, and support the school any way
you can,” Koski says, adding that he
not only contributes to the program
now, but also has a long-term plan to
provide support.
In the meantime, his construction
company, GYC Group (founded by Gary
Clark ’60) has recently had a more
hands-on role at McDonogh as the
builder responsible for the construction
of the new Head of School house.
Koski was thrilled to accept the job,
especially with the knowledge that the
first resident would be his friend, Head
of School Dave Farace ’87, with whom
he also shares the legacy of being a
scholarship student.
In June 2020, Karson Koski ’20 will
walk across Childs Memorial Terrace
at Commencement—the last of Mark
and wife Debbie’s three children to
follow in his footsteps. It will be a
poignant moment coming nearly
40 years after his introduction to
McDonogh and the opportunity that
made him who he is today.
—Danielle Schollaert and Meredith Bower
>>>
Mark Koski ’86 stands
proudly in front of the new
Head of School house that
his company built.
26
>>>
>>>
27

ARTS
>>>
Onlooker Harry Woods (Upper
School English teacher Nick Rego)
watches with tears in his eyes as
supporters of Matthew Shepard
march in the homecoming parade
in his honor.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
FOSTERS DISCUSSION
“My son Matthew did not look like a winner. He was rather uncoordinated
and wore braces from the age of 13 until the day he died. However, in his
all too brief life, he proved that he was a winner. On October sixth, 1998
my son tried to prove that he was a winner. On October twelfth, 1998 my
firstborn son and my hero, lost. On October twelfth, 1998 my firstborn
son and my hero died fifty days before his twenty-second birthday. I keep
wondering the same thing that I did when I first saw him in the hospital.
What would he become? How could he have changed his piece of the
world to make it better?”
—Dennis Shepard’s statement to the court following the conviction of two
young men in Laramie, Wyoming, for the murder of his gay son.
Changing the world and making it better are among the reasons the
McDonogh Theatre Lab chose The Laramie Project for its fall 2019
production. Director Tyler Groton says he not only wanted to stretch the
actors’ ability with the demanding piece of documentary theater, but he
also wanted to foster discussion about the treatment of LGBTQ people and
others who feel oppressed.
The characters in The Laramie Project, which was first performed in 2000 by
the Tectonic Theatre Project, are actual people from the Wyoming college
town where Matthew was killed, and the dialogue is their exact words.
In casting the more than 70 roles, Groton welcomed both Upper School
students and faculty to be part of the production. As they rehearsed, many of
the actors who played more than one role (some with conflicting messages),
learned to fall into character with the simple addition of an article of clothing.
Freshman Olivia Faloni shares, “We were deep into these characters for two
months. We felt what they were feeling.”
However, as Groton explains, the difficulty of switching from one character
to another became challenging when the person being portrayed was
unlikable. “They had to get into the mindset of the character and sometimes
that is scary,” he says.
>>>
Sergeant Rob Debree (Shane Silverman ’20)
hears Aaron McKinney’s (Max Stout ’21)
confession.
28 >>> 29
>>>

ARTS
Police officer Reggie
Fluty (Kyla Vetter ’23)
and mom Marge Murray
(Junior Class Dean
Libet Ottinger) talk
about Reggie’s
exposure to HIV from
Matthew’s blood.
Daniel Kim ’20, who played four different people,
explains how he prepared for the role of Fred Phelps,
Pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church, who traveled
to Laramie and staged a protest against homosexuality
during Shepard’s funeral. “I watched a lot of interviews
with him and video clips of the rallies and funerals of
veterans and gay people that he went to. It was hard to
watch, but I needed to have an understanding of why
he did what he did in order to translate that on stage,”
Daniel says. “Once I was on stage, I wanted to make the
audience as uncomfortable as I could because that was
the effect he had on me.”
Equally difficult was the poignant role of Dennis
Shepherd, played by Head of School Dave Farace ’87. “It
was hard for me as an actor and as a father. I had to get
in the moment every time I got up there. I was in the
role of the father who lost his child—a child who was
beaten and tied to a fence for 18 hours in the freezing
cold. I had to put myself in the father’s mindset. It was a
heavy lift,” Farace shares.
His heartrending monologue was a powerful moment
for the audience as well as for his castmates who say
they made a point of staying in the wings of the stage
to watch it. In portraying Dennis Shepard, Farace told
the court, “This is the time to begin the healing process.
To grant mercy to someone who refused to show any
mercy.” Then, addressing the killers, he continued, “You
robbed me of something very precious and I will never
forgive you for that. I give you life in the memory of one
who no longer lives. May you have a long life and may
you thank Matthew every day for it.”
Limousine driver Doc
O’Connor (Ronson
Holmes ’21) and shop
owner Trish Steger
(Lauren Trexler ’22)
fill in background
detail on Matthew.
Groton adds that his goal in producing The Laramie
Project was to give the students an understanding of
what the arts are and can be. “I am less concerned with
a perfect show than I am with knowing that the kids
got something out of the experience,” he says. “This
production showed that the arts can be truly impactful
and changing. The Laramie Project will be something
that stays with them for the rest of their lives. They
have continued the conversation about marginalized
people and brought it out to the community.”
In the Upper School, the play has served as a catalyst
for conversation about how the community speaks
to each other, treats each other, and views each
other. “This is a great piece of theatre, but more
than that it is a platform for having conversations
about marginalization across the board,” says Kara
Zimmerman, Director of Fine and Performing Arts.
“Yes, it uses LGBTQ as an inroad, but it has us asking
what do we do when members of our community feel
marginalized? Maybe it’s not just because of sexual
identity. Maybe it’s because of what you believe in or
who you associate with or what you look like.”
Shane Silverman ’20, who played the sheriff of the
Laramie Police Department, hopes to see more open
conversations among upper schoolers. “My character
used the events as a learning experience. This is a
school and the purpose is to learn,” Shane says. “The
best way is with discussion.” —Meredith Bower
COLLABORATION WITH
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
STRIKES THE RIGHT CHORD
When Middle and Upper School
band students come to class,
sometimes they could use a little
more help with their part of the
music. This year, they are getting it
from Towson University students
who were in their shoes not too long
ago. The collaboration between the
two schools was proposed by
Towson professor Chris Cicconi who
was looking for a way to give his
band students an authentic
experience teaching sectionals.
McDonogh Band Director Don New
seized the opportunity and has
been pleased with the partnership,
which has helped his students
learn their individual parts, and
as a result, enhanced the sound of
the entire ensemble. The
arrangement has been a win-win
for everyone involved.
“You never profit in your own
land,” New says. “Our students get
to experience working with not
a teacher, not a professional, but
kids who are older than them but
not quite adults. And they get to
hear what their instruments can
really sound like. When they (the
Towson students) come here, they
>>>
From left: Towson University graduate student Colin Parlett works
with trumpeters Spencer Eldridge ’20, Aldous Simms-Clark ’22,
and Will Ates ’22.
get to interact with me, another
professional who’s not their
teacher, and they gain a different
perspective, too. It’s such a cool
program from the bottom up.”
Matthew Shepard’s story resonated with the cast, crew,
and the audience of The Laramie Project well after the
final bow, which is exactly the effect Groton hoped
the production would have. “I love when a show has
an emotional impact, when it doesn’t leave you at the
curtain call, when you go home and are still thinking
about it,” he says. “I love when it starts conversations
and brings up things that maybe you couldn’t do in
another medium.”
>>>
Bartender Matt Galloway (Daniel Kim ’20) tells members of the
Tectonic Theatre Project about the night that Matthew Shepard died.
>>>
Singers and instrumentalists from all three divisions took turns performing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” at football
games in John McDonogh Stadium this fall. In this photo, Upper School Choral Director Philip Olsen leads the combined
Women of Note and Gentleman Songsters before the McDonogh vs. Gilman football game on November 2.
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31

ATHLETICS
ATHLETIC TRAINERS:
OUR UNSUNG HEROES
>>>
Athletic Trainers Marty
Sataloff and Jared
Braverman check in
with Jackson Bonitz ’20
during halftime.
As McDonogh Eagles compete, fans focus their cheers
on the athletes and coaches. But if you take a look on
the sidelines at every game and practice, you will
notice the very important support staff who play a vital
role in the performance and health of our teams. Win
or lose, McDonogh’s Athletic Training staff is
committed to providing quality health care to studentathletes
every day.
Under the direction of Head Athletic Trainer Marty
Sataloff, the staff of three full-time athletic trainers—
Sataloff, Jared Braverman, and Ashley Holmes—prides
itself on providing comprehensive care to athletes from
29 varsity teams and dozens of junior varsity and Middle
School squads. From sprains and fractures to ligament
tears, concussions, and even emergency care,
McDonogh’s athletic trainers can handle it all.
“A student walks in the door. It could be an illness, an
injury, soreness or an ache, a frustration, or they just had
ACL reconstruction. We are able to care for and manage
it all,” explains Sataloff, the school’s first athletic trainer,
who came to McDonogh more than 30 years ago.
Taking care of roughly 100 students per day during the
school year is not possible without the support of a
University of Maryland/MedStar Family Practice Sports
Medicine fellow who sees students in the Athletic Training
Center weekly, undergraduate students from Towson
University’s Athletic Training Program, and graduate
students from Salisbury University. McDonogh also has
its own team physician, Richard Winakur, M.D. ’88, who
sees students once a week on campus and provides the
final say on whether a student can return to play after an
injury. Dr. Winakur also serves on the school’s Medical
Advisory Board, a group of five volunteer physicians and
specialists as well as members of McDonogh’s Infirmary
and Athletic Training departments, which advises the
school on issues surrounding health and wellness.
Although the 1,200-square-foot Athletic Training Center
in the Rollins-Luetkemeyer Athletic Center is not big, it is
mighty in what it provides. “We do all of our own
rehabilitation here for athletic injuries,” Sataloff says.
“Kids can choose to go outside and have it done, but we
offer the opportunity here.”
The Athletic Training team’s day is spent managing
injuries, treating athletes, keeping records, and
communicating with parents, not to mention attending
all games and practices. The athletic trainers also teach
classes in the Upper School Wellness Program.
On any weekday afternoon, one can see dozens of
student-athletes lined up outside the door. Once inside,
there are six treatment tables that may hold up to four
students at a time during busy spells, particularly in the
fall and during playoff time. Even former athletes return
to check in with their favorite trainers and seek care or
insight on injuries.
Since coming to McDonogh in 1986, Sataloff has played
a leading role in helping the school stay ahead of the
curve in terms of how athletic training programs care
for their players. McDonogh is the first independent
school in the Baltimore area to adopt the “medical
model” in which the focus is on the well-being of the
student as opposed to wins and losses.
The Athletic Training team reports to the team physician
and chief risk officer and consults with McDonogh’s
Medical Advisory Board. This model allows athletic
trainers to focus even more on long-term care. While
athletes want to play, Braverman offers the guiding
question: “Do you want to play in tomorrow’s game or do
you want to play in a game five years from now?”
Another way the Athletic Training department stands
out is through its Concussion Management Program.
McDonogh was the first area school to create its own
program for managing this all too common injury.
Started in the 2006-2007 school year, the program
began with voluntary baseline cognitive testing. The
following year, McDonogh made this testing mandatory
for all students playing collision or contact sports.
Another year later, it became mandatory for athletes in
every sport. Now, the program performs concussion
management for all students in grades seven to twelve
whether they are on a team or not. The program offers
daily check-ins with athletic trainers to determine what
the student can and cannot do and keeps a detailed log
of each visit. It also provides academic support through
the class deans and learning specialists to help affected
students stay on pace academically.
With any injury, the athletic trainers are focused on the
whole student-athlete, and they work closely with the
school counselors, nursing staff, and deans to determine
what a student is capable of doing in class and what
support he or she may need in class or in getting around
campus due to an injury.
“Kids lean on all three of our athletic trainers for
emotional support as they go through injuries,” explains
Head Wrestling Coach Pete Welch. “The level of care is
pretty special, both physically and emotionally.”
The care is consistent for all McDonogh athletes. “There
is no one sport that is more important. There is no one
>>>
Athletic Trainers Marty Sataloff, Ashley Holmes, and
Jared Braverman
team that is more important. There is no one athlete
who is more important,” Sataloff says.
No matter how far McDonogh’s athletes go in their
careers, the Athletic Training staff is excited to be
part of the ride. “We are helping kids acknowledge
their dreams and helping them find a way to get
where they want to be,” Sataloff says. “It’s just
incredibly rewarding.” —Laura Lewis Brown
FOR THE RECORD
On the fields, on the courts, in the pool, and in the riding ring,
McDonogh athletes turned in stellar performances in a display of
talent and sportsmanship. Congratulations to all our fall athletes.
Following are the records of the varsity teams:
Boys Cross Country 3–6 Girls Soccer 16–1
Girls Cross Country 1–7 Girls Tennis 8–2
Field Hockey 10–8–2
Girls Volleyball 10–8
Football 11–1
Water Polo 4–11
Boys Soccer 15–4–1
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33

ATHLETICS
CHAMPIONSHIP
TITLES
BOYS SOCCER
This year, the boys soccer team not only earned the
MIAA Championship crown, but in doing so they
became the first school to win three straight titles since
the league was formed in 1995.
Although the season got off to a shaky start, the Eagles
ended with a solid finish. Head Coach Brandon Quaranta
says, “After a 3–3–1 start, we met as a group and made a
collective decision to improve every aspect of our team.
We needed to coach better as a staff, play better as a
team, and come together off the field if we were going
to reach our goals. After that meeting, the level of focus
and commitment to the team improved drastically, and
our senior leaders took control of the team. We won 12
of our last 13 games on the way to a historic third MIAA
championship in a row.”
After the win, Quaranta told The Baltimore Sun, “To be
honest, I didn’t think it would happen,” he said. “The
league is so competitive, and to be able to even make a
final, three years in a row, is quite an accomplishment. But
to win three of those games, I can’t really put words to it.
We talked about it—we made it part of our goal this
season, to do something that has never been done in the
best high school soccer league in the country, in my
opinion. We’re proud of it because we appreciate how
good this league is.”
Shortly after the season ended, Coach Quaranta was
named The Baltimore Sun’s All Metro Boys Soccer Coach
of the Year. In January, he received the National Merit
Award from the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials
Association as the Boys Soccer Head Coach of the Year.
—Meredith Bower
Congratulations to the
girls and boys soccer
teams on winning the 2019
Interscholastic Athletic
Association of Maryland
(IAAM) and Maryland
Interscholastic Athletic
Association (MIAA) “A”
conference championships.
It was the third consecutive
year that the two
teams both earned the
championship titles.
GIRLS SOCCER
Early into their 2019 season, the girls varsity soccer team earned the
coveted ranking of #1 in the nation from USA Today. McDonogh was the
team to beat, and days later, they were handed their first home loss since
2013 in a tough game against Mercy High School. The humbling defeat,
however, fueled their determination. The team rebounded and worked
harder than ever, and when the regular season ended, McDonogh was back
on top of their division rankings. But there was still work to be done.
With the championship ahead of them, the Eagles found themselves facing
rival Archbishop Spalding in the final game for the second year in a row. On
a bitterly cold night, the two teams were scoreless for more than an hour
before McDonogh’s Baylee DeSmit ’21 made the first goal of the game. After
the breakthrough, McDonogh scored twice more to Spalding’s single goal,
resulting in the championship title for the Eagles.
“It’s always a battle between us and Spalding. I think—not that we wanted it
more because I think both teams wanted it—but I think our energy in the
second half enabled us to break through,” said DeSmit in a story by The
Baltimore Sun following the game. Weeks later, she was named Player of the
Year by the newspaper.
Coach Harry Canellakis sums up the season saying, “When you’re coaching a
sport at McDonogh, which focuses so much on educating the ‘whole
person,’ you realize that the most important moments in the season aren’t
the wins but the moments when the players get to demonstrate their
character and ability to overcome adversity. We had a few ups and downs
this year—mostly ups—but, in the end, the players showed their true
character and quality.”
This was the eighth time that the girls, under the direction of Canellakis,
have won the “A” Conference Championship—the most in IAAM history.
34
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>>>
35

OUR PROUD PAST
A FOND FAREWELL TO FINNEY
BY NOREEN LIDSTON
Architecturally, the Finney Building is
Cadets in the senior quad
one of the most beautiful buildings at
outside the new Finney
McDonogh. The rear of this structure
Building in 1939.
faces the football field, and beyond that,
a large part of the school farm. Despite
its comparatively recent completion, the
Finney Memorial Building has already
established itself as an important part
of the McDonogh Campus.
—THE WEEK, MAY 1, 1953
These words belong to a student reporter for
A BRIEF HISTORY
McDonogh’s weekly newspaper. He was reflecting
According to McDonogh School: An Interpretive
on a building that was scarcely 15 years old at
Chronology by former faculty members Hugh F.
the time. The writer had no way of knowing
Burgess, Jr. and Robert C. Smoot lll ’51, a “new building,”
the positive impact Finney’s learning and
which was to become Finney, was first discussed by
living spaces would have on the generations of
board members and administrators in 1936. They
McDonogh family members who would inhabit
planned to build a dormitory, an infirmary, and a boiler
them. While Finney is no longer visible, this
room. The first two parts of the project were to be
storied structure leaves behind memories that can supported in part by funds from the Works Progress
forever be seen with the mind’s eye.
Association (WPA), whose mission was to provide work
for Depression-era job seekers. Construction on the
dormitory began in 1937 and was completed in 1938.
Along the way, however, plans for the building changed.
According to the Chronology, “The new building...is not
Amid a sea of bricks, the foundation of
a dormitory after all; it has Middle School classrooms
Finney Building begins to rise in 1937.
and faculty apartments.” Classrooms and faculty
apartments existed side-by-side (sometimes literally) in
Finney for the next 60 years.
It was not until November 1942 that the new building
got an official name. According to the Chronology, “At
the same meeting at which Robert L. Lamborn ’35 is
elected Assistant Headmaster, the Board decides to
name the new building north of the quadrangle after
Dr. Finney.” John Miller Turpin Finney was a worldrenowned
surgeon who served on McDonogh’s Board
of Trustees for a remarkable 41 years, 21 of which were
spent as President. With his namesake building now
gone, Dr. Finney’s contributions to the school will still
be honored when the Senior Quad is refurbished and
renamed the Finney Senior Quad.
The windows of Finney Building are open
on this glorious spring day in April 2009.
Though preadolescent boys in military uniforms were
the first occupants of Finney’s classrooms, the Middle
School was not truly its own entity until 1953, when the
affable and energetic Quinton Donald (Q.D.) Thompson
accepted the position of Head of Middle School. He
took over the leadership of 280 boys in a division that
pioneered the grouping of grades five through eight.
36
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The first full-time Middle School faculty included 12 men
and two women who taught in Finney’s 12 classrooms
located in the basement and on the first floor.
During an interview in 2004, Thompson reminisced
about the spirit among his new faculty, saying, “We
all just pulled together and supported each other and
made the best of what we had while dreaming of what
we hoped to have one day.”
GROWTH AND CHANGE
Thompson’s words proved prophetic. The story of
Finney is replete with accounts of teachers and
administrators making the best of the current
circumstances while imagining what the future might
hold. Perhaps more than any other building on campus,
the inside of Finney was reworked, repaired, repainted,
and repurposed through the years.
Retired math teacher Ken Waller ’65, says, “We were
always adapting the building to what we needed. At
Students shovel the sidewalks outside
of Finney and Lyle Buildings in 1964.
>>>
Founding Head of Middle School Q.D. Thompson celebrates his
94th birthday in front of Finney Building in 2016.
one point, we had a locker room that was turned into a
study hall and then back into a locker room again. The
infirmary was located in Finney for decades and was
originally spread over three stories. Over time, the third
floor became faculty housing; the second floor became
classrooms; and the first floor space was converted first
into a technology suite and then into a learning center.
During one of the renovations, someone discovered
a dumbwaiter, but no one ever figured out what its
purpose was.”
English teacher Jon Aaron ’72, who taught in Finney for
44 years, recalls that the Middle School library was in
the building originally but was later moved to the Lyle
Building to provide space for more classrooms. In 1968,
the science classrooms were moved to the second floor
and renovated into “real labs.” Aaron comments, “The
program and pedagogy of the Middle School evolved,
but the basic footprint of Finney did not. We pushed
the skin of that building so far out that it nearly burst. In
fact, by 2019, middle schoolers were attending classes
in Finney, Naylor, Keelty, Allan, and Lyle. For as long as
it possibly could, Finney Building bent to the will of a
school that was continually changing, never static.”
CULTURAL SHIFTS
During the 81 years that Finney anchored the north end
of campus, school culture evolved. Racial segregation
ended in 1959, and the semi-military program was
discontinued in 1971. Coeducation began in 1975 with
47 girls joining the Middle School. A traditionallystructured
program with Thompson as the benevolent
father figure gradually gave way to more modern
perspectives on how best to meet the needs of Middle
School students.
When Thomspon retired in 1985, he was succeeded by
John Peterman who introduced the advisor program to
closely connect each student with a teacher-advisor.
In 1992, Peterman was followed by Patrice Preston
who kept the momentum going as interim head. In
1993, Mike Mersky took over as Head of Middle School.
He blended the discipline of the Thompson era with
the more holistic approach of Peterman to propel his
division forward. During Mersky’s tenure, the last faculty
apartments in Finney were converted to classrooms and,
at last, Finney housed only office and classroom spaces.
Rob Gustavson, Jr. succeeded Mersky in 1999. He sought
to create a simpler schedule and achieve a greater
balance among academics, the arts, and athletics.
Darren Ford, who followed Gustavson in 2002, was
instrumental in developing the plans for the new
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Middle School.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Finney Building no longer stands watch over the
northern end of campus. It has completed its work
and fulfilled its purpose. In its place, a larger footprint
is being created that will support the state-of-the-art
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Middle School.
While there is some sadness about Finney’s demolition,
students, teachers, and alumni take comfort in looking to
the future. Butch Maisel ’72 says, “Finney had character
based on its faculty and their leadership, but it is
understandable that the Middle School needs to expand
and change with the times.”
Aaron describes himself as being able to look at the
loss of Finney with “blissful pragmatism. It just had to
go,” he says. Aaron is already anticipating welcoming
middle schoolers into their new spaces with the closing
lines from a poem by W. H. Auden:
But absence will not seem an evil
If it make our re-meeting
A real occasion. Come when you can:
Your room will be ready.
MEMORIES MADE
>>>
Faculty members and former Middle School students have
indelible memories of the years they spent in Finney Building.
Some of those memories grew from the student-teacher
relationships. Other memories come from the physical
idiosyncrasies of Finney Building itself.
• During some brief, unsupervised moments, several classmates
of Butch Maisel ’72 threw him from the window of a first floor
classroom and into a bush. As promised, Butch took one of
those classmates with him. In a few moments, both bloodied
boys climbed back through the window only to confront a sternfaced
Frederick “Fritz” Maisel ’37, Butch’s father and teacher.
• Eileen Heady, Head of the Middle School Science
Department, lived in a second-floor apartment, part of which
later became her classroom. Grateful for the experience of
having lived in Finney, she recalls walking toward the building
from across the fields one evening and saying to herself,
“People will remember me as someone who once lived right
there.” After an ice storm in 1994, she used one of her geology
tools to chip her way through an ill-fitting outside door.
• Upper School history teacher Marilyn Boyle had a thirdfloor
apartment above the front entrance to Finney. She
recalls being awakened regularly in the early morning by
the voices of science teacher Rick Thompson and social
studies teacher Ted Scocos. The sounds of their conversation
traveled along the pipes from three floors below.
Math teacher Mose MacHamer inspired the boys’ respect and pushed them to achieve. In Ken
Waller’s case, Major MacHamer influenced his choice of careers. He used notes he kept from
a January 1960 MacHamer class to teach his McDonogh fifth graders.
• Ken Waller ’65 fondly remembers several teachers with largerthan-life
personalities. Among them were Ted White, Mose
MacHamer, Pee Wee Reese, Lou Martin, Marjorie Evans, and
Helen Hurst. One day, White, who was a cigarette smoker, blew
smoke in and around an inactive hand grenade and rolled it into
the classroom of war veteran Fritz Maisel. White’s intent was to
surprise and scare Maisel. It worked.
• Becky Roll Farace, former faculty member and wife of Head of
School Dave Farace, shared an apartment for a year with fellow
teacher Beth Snow MacMullan. Becky made a solo decision to
paint the apartment a soft yellow, but the color turned out to be
brighter than a banana peel. She apologized to Beth as they sat
looking at one another through a yellow glow.
• With a smile in his voice, Chief Operating Officer Pete Welch
says that the tiny apartment he once shared with wife Patty was
their first home, a space they moved into after only two days of
marriage. It did not impress his new bride. Pete tried to minimize
the damage by saying, “But lunch and dinner are included,” and
“Look out this window; it is a great place to watch games!”
• Coach Scott Ward, Director of Competitive Aquatics, moved
into his Finney apartment on a cool evening in late fall. In the
early hours of the next morning, he leapt from his bed in alarm,
thinking that perhaps the building was haunted. He learned later
that day that the noise he heard was the banging and clanging
of air bubbles being heated in the steam pipes.
38 >>> 39
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ALUMNI NEWS
REUNION WEEKEND 2020
JOIN US THIS SPRING TO RECONNECT WITH FELLOW CLASSMATES AND CREATE MORE
MCDONOGH MEMORIES. VISIT MCDONOGH.ORG/REUNION FOR MORE INFORMATION.
THURSDAY
Thursday evening, we honor the following
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees:
Christopher K. Agorsor ’08
Kristen A. Brown ’10
Raymond M. Faby ’49*
Justin M. Gross ’10
Curtis M. Holmes ’09
Amanda C. Kimbers ’09
Giles P. Smith ’09
*deceased
FRIDAY
Friday highlights include the alumni memorial
service, a luncheon, campus tours, a cavalry/riding
event, the Young Alumni Awards ceremony, and a
complimentary cocktail party for all alumni.
Young Alumni Award Recipients:
Alison K. Barzyk ’14
Darrius R. Heyward-Bey ’05
Hannah D. Johnstone-Mathis ’09
Kyle B. Vaughan ’12
Kenneth C. Wayman ’12
ALUMNI CALENDAR 2020
MCDONOGH RECEPTION
IN BOSTON, MA
MONDAY, MARCH 9
6:30–8:30 P.M.
THE HAWTHORNE
MCDONOGH RECEPTION IN
NEW YORK, NY
TUESDAY, MARCH 10
6:30–9:00 P.M.
HOSTED BY HOPE AND
DAVID ’82 ROTHSCHILD
REUNION WEEKEND
THURSDAY, APRIL 23–SUNDAY, APRIL 26
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
AWARDS CEREMONY
THURSDAY, APRIL 23
6:00 P.M.
AARSAND 1873 ROOM
EDWARD ST. JOHN STUDENT CENTER
SATURDAY
Saturday highlights include the Distinguished
Service Award ceremony and breakfast,
campus tours, the crab feast and family
picnic, and reunion year parties for classes
ending in 0 or 5.
Distinguished Service Award Recipients:
H. Stacey Boyer ’76
Alumna and Trustee
W. Boulton Dixon
Former Headmaster and Honorary Alumnus
LaVerne R. Holtz
Former Director of Records
Allan L. Spencer ’49
Alumnus
APRIL
23-26
YOUNG ALUMNI
AWARDS CEREMONY
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
6:15 P.M.
AARSAND 1873 ROOM
EDWARD ST. JOHN STUDENT CENTER
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
AWARDS CEREMONY AND
BREAKFAST
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
10:00–11:30 A.M.
AARSAND 1873 ROOM
EDWARD ST. JOHN STUDENT CENTER
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
THURSDAY, MAY 21
9:00 A.M.
MEMORIAL COURT
THIS YEAR’S EVENT WILL INCLUDE SPECIAL
RECOGNITION OF ALUMNI WHO SERVED IN THE
VIETNAM WAR.
BLACK ALUMNI COMMITTEE
HOSTS WELCOME RECEPTION
More than 200 new and current black students and their
families attended a back-to-school cookout on August
20 in Esther Ann Hall. The welcome event, hosted by the
Black Alumni Committee, was an opportunity for alumni,
students, parents, faculty, and staff to reunite with old
friends and make new connections.
Rob Young ’86, President of the Board of Trustees,
greeted attendees and reflected on his time as a
McDonogh student. Dr. Lana Bates, Director of Equity and
Inclusion, explained her role and how the Sankofa Club,
McDonogh Parents Association Equity & Inclusion
Committee, and Black Alumni Committee support our
students and enrich the school. Kellee Parrott Gonzalez ’96,
Chair of the Black Alumni Committee, shared how the
committee was created as a way for black alumni to
1
3
5 6
4
2
build community and connections on behalf of students.
Erika Seth Davies ’94, Associate Director of
Philanthropy, encouraged everyone to remember the
name John Milton Belcher III—the first black student to
enroll at McDonogh as a first-grader in 1959 and the first
black graduate in 1971.
Gonzalez was delighted by the number of people in
attendance and the palpable feeling of excitement and
community. “The inaugural welcome reception for families
of black students was a rousing success,” she says. “The
overwhelming response confirmed the need and solidified
our purpose to assist the school in meeting the needs of
current students and families and serve as a conduit of
connection for black McDonogh alumni.”
>>>
1. Kellee Parrott Gonzalez ’96, Lana Bates,
and Rob Young ’86
2. Preston Williams ’26, Sophia Williams ’28,
and Meredith Bruce
3. Allie Moore ’26, Dallyce Harrell ’26,
Lauryn Allen ’25, Mckenzie Brown ’25,
and London Golas ’25
4. Zion Tasew ’20, Sydnee Vance ’21, and
Chrystina Bennett ’22
5. Tiffany White, Taylor White ’24, Ashley
White ’21, and Jabari Miller ’92
6. Xavier Green ’31 and Mikayla Uqdah ’31
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS, PLEASE CONTACT ALUMNI@MCDONOGH.ORG.
40
>>>
>>>
41

1
ALUMNI NEWS
On September 10, more than 80 alumni, parents,
alumni parents, faculty, grandparents, and friends
gathered at Green Spring Valley Hunt Club for the
44th Annual McDonogh Classic. After lunch on the
patio, golfers enjoyed 18 holes of friendly competition
followed by raffles, refreshments, and dinner.
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THIS YEAR’S AWARD WINNERS:
EAGLE CUP FIRST PLACE TEAM
Keegan Meacham and Paul McKinnell
FIRST PLACE (NET)
Ben Crabbs ’87, Dave Farace ’87, Pete Ward ’87, and
Rusty Ward ’87
SECOND PLACE (NET)
Bill Dodd, Dave Galoppo, Mike Shenkle, and
Bill Sweeney
FIRST PLACE (GROSS)
Parker Bratton ’09, Adam Gold ’10, Jay Sapperstein ’10,
and Matt Tuneski
SECOND PLACE (GROSS)
Aaron Finkelstein ’75, Bruce Finkelstein ’73, Scott
Finkelstein, and Rob Singleton ’73
THE LONGEST DRIVE
Keith Parker ’02 on hole four
CLOSEST TO THE PIN AWARD
Jon Aaron ’72 on hole five
CLOSEST ON THE 18TH HOLE
Dave Meurer ’79
Many thanks to the sponsors, players, and volunteers
who contributed to the success of the day.
>>>
1. Golfers celebrate a great day at the 19th Hole Happy Hour.
2. Parker Bratton ’09, Adam Gold ’10, Matt Tuneski, and
Jay Sapperstein ’10
3. Marty McNair, Garrett Pfeifer, Carlton Carrington, and Sam Llanio
4. Rick Thompson and Mack McGee ’03
5. Patrick Toohey ’09, Rob Owen ’09, Morgan Koopman Silcott ’09,
and Curtis Holmes ’09
6. Pete Ward ’87, Rusty Ward ’87, Ben Crabbs ’87, Dave Farace ’87,
and Mike MacGeorge ’61
7. Mike Barranco ’78 and Jane Burch Friddell ’78
A CLASSIC
DAY OF GOLF
2
3
4
5 6 7
42 >>> 43
>>>

ALUMNI NEWS
ALUMNI ASSEMBLE
AT THE LANES
Alumni and their families celebrated a new school year
together at a bowling bash on September 27 at Bowlero
in Timonium. Attendees enjoyed bowling, dinner, a
sundae bar, and great company with fellow Eagles at
this fun event sponsored by the McDonogh Alumni
Association.
1
2
3
FOUNDER’S DAY
HONORS AND REMEMBERS
2
3
The Dedication Hymn, memorial wreaths, the planting of flowers at the
base of the John McDonogh Monument, the somber tolling of a chapel
bell, and the playing of Taps are the hallmarks of Founder’s Day—a day
in which the McDonogh community pauses to honor its founder, whose
generosity and vision established the school. Traditionally held on the
first Friday in October, Founder’s Day is also a time to remember those
in our community who passed away during the year.
In his remarks on October 4, Head of School Dave Farace ’87 reflected
on the Dedication Hymn, “I find this hymn to be especially meaningful
when it is sung on this particular day. In its opening lines, this twostanza
song refers to a monument that ‘is o’er us, growing grander with
its age.’ As a student, I used to think that this monument was simply
the structure that marks John McDonogh’s grave. Over the years,
however, I came to understand that the monument represents
McDonogh School, all of it—this magnificent place, its remarkable
people, and its mighty purpose. From 1873 until today, every single one
of us has been part of its grand design.”
Farace concluded, “The Dedication Hymn ends with two lines that
express a genuine love for McDonogh and a deep desire to leave the
school better for our having been here—So that when at last we leave
thee, we will leave thee grander still; Nearer as thy founder dreamed
thee, dear McDonogh on the hill. May we keep those two sentiments
close in mind and heart as we pursue our mission.”
The Concert Choir then sang the Dedication Hymn, and the ceremony
continued with the tradition of planting mums at the base of the John
McDonogh monument, a gesture that honored a request in McDonogh’s
will in which he wrote, “That it may be permitted annually to the
children of the schools, situated the nearest to my internment, to plant
and water a few flowers around my grave. This little act will…open their
young hearts to gratitude and love.”
After the flowers were watered, 40 members of the McDonogh
Family who passed away since the previous ceremony were
remembered. As each name was read by Alumni Association
President Jason Schwartzberg ’99, a bell tolled in Tagart Memorial
Chapel and Alumni Association Vice President Joshua Thomas ’06
and Director of Alumni Relations Beth Sauer Hopkins ’02 placed a
flower at the base of the monument.
4
Schwartzberg said, “In each of their lives, they provided us with
examples of excellence, integrity, and honor. Their lives and
contributions enriched the McDonogh community and for that we
are grateful.”
The ceremony concluded with the playing of Taps and the benediction,
after which the student body left the grounds in silence.
>>>
1. Bradd Caplan ’98, Jordan Klatsky ’26, Noah Caplan ’26,
Danny Lipsky, Lauren Edlow Caplan ’98, and Asher Caplan ’28
2. Mike Barranco ’78, Kim Smalkin Barranco ’83, and
Peyton Barranco ’17
3. Maya Holmes ’14, Maya Wynn ’14, and Brianna Jacobs ’14
>>>
1. Students gather around the John McDonogh Monument for the Founder’s Day Ceremony.
2. Zarina Hamilton ’24, Roman Gabriel ’24, and Alex Coon ’28
3. Joshua Thomas ’06
4. Stephen Palencar ’21 lays a flower in memory of his aunt and former employee Jeanne Backof.
5. The Concert Choir sings the Dedication Hymn.
44
>>>
1
5
>>>
45

ALUMNI NEWS
CHICAGO-AREA ALUMNI GATHER
Head of School Dave Farace ’87 welcomed Chicagoarea
alumni to The Dearborn Tavern for hors d’oeuvres
and drinks on October 14. During the event, Director of
Innovation and Learning Kevin Costa shared information
about McDonogh’s LifeReady program and told stories
about how current students are learning in a way that
prepares them for their lives after McDonogh. Later,
alumni engaged in a lively question and answer session.
1 2
>>>
1. Bob Irvin ’74, Patti Raksin ’88, and Swati Kulkarni ’86
2. Ira Rigaud ’00, Dave Farace ’87, and Soad Kousheshi ’74
3. Kevin Costa, Ana Rodriguez ’08, Samir Bhatiani ’02, and
Malcolm Moses-Hampton ’08
4. Bob Parks ’64 and Bob Fisher ’66
BLAKEHURST RESIDENTS REMINISCE
More than 20 members of the McDonogh Family
1
gathered at Blakehurst Senior Living Community in
Towson on October 23 for an evening of updates and
reminiscing. Head of School Dave Farace ’87 greeted the
guests and shared many of the exciting developments
at McDonogh. The crowd of cadets and their families,
who were intrigued by the changes on campus, then
shared their fond memories of the school.
2
3
>>>
1. Doug Huether ’43 and Trev Warfield ’47
2. Dottie Stieff and Irv Greif ’48
3. Suzanne Wills, Beth Sauer Hopkins ’02,
and George Wills ’54
ALUMNI NETWORK UPDATES
McDonogh has launched a new and improved alumni network
that combines our student mentoring, internship, and career
program with an updated alumni networking platform to
create one robust network, McDonogh Connect. The all new
network is a valuable career resource that helps alumni and
students easily connect with others within the same industry
4
or area. The new website and mobile app allow you to:
• KEEP CURRENT WITH AN INTERACTIVE, PERSONALIZED FEED
• SEARCH FELLOW ALUMNI BY NAME, INDUSTRY, YEAR, AND
OTHER FILTERS
• POST OR VIEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERNSHIPS
• OFFER MENTORING SERVICES TO CURRENT STUDENTS
3
Visit us at connect.mcdonogh.org and download the app!
Questions? Contact alumni@mcdonogh.org.
>>>
46 >>>
47

MCDONOGH
SOARS
PAST GILMAN
IN 104TH GAME
The McDonogh community came together to celebrate
sportsmanship and to cheer on the Eagles in the 104th
McDonogh vs. Gilman football game on November 2 at
John McDonogh Stadium. The festivities began in the
community tent, sponsored by the Alumni Association,
the McDonogh Parents Association, and the McDonogh
Fund, and included face-painting, games, and giveaways.
Before the teams took the field, the senior
players, cheerleaders, and pressbox crew were
recognized and the Gentleman Songsters and Women
of Note sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The Eagles
soared past the Greyhounds (45-6) and held on to the
Price Memorial Trophy for another year.
1
2
ALUMNI DAY OF SERVICE
More than 20 alumni and their families braved the cold temperatures
and came to campus on November 16 to help put Roots Farm to bed
for the winter. Coffee, hot chocolate, and a barbeque lunch provided
warmth for the volunteers who worked to clear the land. Together,
alumni, spanning the Classes of 1961 through 2018, and family helpers
removed 2,718 feet of irrigation lines, 280 tomato and pepper plants, as
well as basil, marigolds, and nasturtiums—all grown from seeds sown
by Lower School students. It was a great morning to enjoy camaraderie
while giving back to a farm that gives so much to the community.
1
>>>
1. Andrew Bulls ’08 and Evelyn Bulls
2. Sharon Hood and Jesus Ramirez ’18
3. Front row, from left: Alan Herbst ’63, Art Gompf ’61,
Jacob Berkowitz, and Ethan Berkowitz; second row,
from left: Caleb Dixon ’21, Etosha Dixon ’93, Alfay
Manning, Tom Hood ’77, Bayan Ricci, Liz Ricci, David
Holland ’90, Lori Sheitel Baylin ’92, Jack Dudley ’73,
Nikki Cunningham Svejda ’93, Richard Silberstein ’77,
Carol Silberstein, Phillip Berkowitz, Chloe Berkowitz,
Lauren Cohen Berkowitz ’00, and Jesus Ramirez ’18
3 4
2
3
>>>
1. Chris Smith ’18 and Dominic Solis ’20
2. Lindsay Boylan ’11, Allyson Hyatt ’11, and Courtney Boylan
3. Brian Finkelstein ’02 and Ben Finkelstein
4. Brenda Taylor and Rick Taylor ’65
>>>
48
49
>>> 49

ALUMNI RETURN TO THE NEST
FOR THANKSGIVING
BREAKFAST
Year after year, when young alumni return home for the
Thanksgiving holiday with family, they also look forward
to reconnecting with McDonogh friends and fellow
alums. This year, the reminiscing began with a happy
hour for the Classes of 2004 to 2016 on Thanksgiving
Eve at The Charles Bar & Grille where more than 80
alumni and guests mingled and shared memories. The
following morning, the Young Alumni Thanksgiving
Pancake Breakfast attracted more than 100 alumni from
the Classes of 2016–2020, faculty and staff members
Pete Welch and Philip Olsen, as well as Head of School
Dave Farace ’87 who manned the griddle. On Friday
morning, the girls soccer team hosted a breakfast for
coaches, parents, and alumnae, while the boys lacrosse
team enjoyed the popular odds vs. evens alumni game
and lunch.
>>>
1. Josh Perry ’02, Luis Gimenez ’04, and Alec Kisiel ’04
2. Andrea Robinson ’16 and Rebecca Veltri ’15
3. Elizabeth Gilbert ’11 and Meghana Raja ’11
4. Andi Cwieka ’14, Lizzie Taylor ’14, Anne Smith ’14, and Jake Hertzberg ’14
1
1
>>>
1. Kate Barranco ’19, Ben Fish ’16, Lacey Allee-Press ’19, Philip Olsen,
Ava Pirie ’19, Laya Neelakandan ’20, and Carson Young ’20
2. Head of School Dave Farace ’87
3. Anna Jankowski ’19, Maya Pal ’19, and Abby Fish ’19
4. Lydia Parker ’16, Alyssa Ince ’16, and Kayla Holmes ’16
5. Carly Genovere ’18, Sarah Boston ’18, Darden Gildea ’18, Nicholas
Zuga ’20, Alexander Zuga ’18, Patrick Heard ’18, Zachary LaPorte ’18,
Zachary Waldman ’18, and Jeremy Waldman ’18
HAPPY HOUR
2
3
2
3 4
4
3
5
>>>
50 51
>>>

ALUMNAE SOCCER
ALUMNI RETURN TO THE NEST
FOR THANKSGIVING
>>>
Soccer alumnae, coaches, and parents gather
for breakfast in the Mullan Board Room.
NETWORKING EVENT FOR BLACK STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
McDonogh’s Sankofa Club and the which they can support the Sankofa
Black Alumni Committee co-hosted Club’s work, while students were
an evening of networking for black welcomed to network with the
students and alumni on December 4 McDonogh community. Darrielle
in the Aarsand 1873 Room. Nearly Alston ’20 and Erika Seth Davies ’94
40 attendees, including current moderated a discussion with a
students, alumni, faculty, staff, multigenerational panel that
guests, and parents, enjoyed a chili spanned roughly 30 years. Panelists
dinner and great conversation with included Jamie Haines ’98, Akeem
each other. Alumni learned ways in Myers ’15, and Rob Young ’86.
>>>
Front row, from left: Rob Young ’86, Jamie Haines ’98, and Akeem
Myers ’15; second row, from left: Gerard Johnson ’23, Tayah Reid ’23,
Isaiah Reid ’21, Zion Tasew ’20, Darrielle Alston ’20, Caleb Dixon ’21,
Nigel Campbell-Christie ’19, Etosha Dixon ’93, Jabari Miller ’92, David
Holland ’90, Niela Magwood-Phoenix ’96, Kellee Parrott Gonzalez ’96,
Cody Phoenix, Kim Cotton McDaniel ’81, and Erika Seth Davies ’94;
third row, from left: Mark Howie ’88, Carlton Carrington ’23, Darren
Ford, Ian Robinson ’23, Lauren Street Goodall ’93, Joshua Thomas ’06,
Nollie Wood ’72, Ayinde Stewart ’92, Andrea Robinson ’16, and Ronson
Holmes ’21.
ORANGE AND BLACK HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
ALUMNI LACROSSE
>>>
Boys lacrosse players hold their annual odds
vs. evens alumni game.
The Aarsand 1873 Room was filled
with joy on December 12 as alumni
from the Classes of 1948 to 2003
and their guests gathered for the
annual Orange & Black Holiday
Luncheon. More than 70 attendees
reminisced with each other before
Head of School Dave Farace ’87
delivered a warm welcome greeting
and Bridget Collins, The Charles W.
Britton Director of Character and
Service, led a pre-meal blessing. The
Lower School Choir, the Gentleman
Songsters, and the Women of Note
entertained the crowd with a joyous
selection of songs, and guests left
feeling all the more festive.
2
4
3
5
>>>
1. Walt Radek ’53 and grandson
Joe Radek ’20
1
2. Head of School Dave Farace ’87
talks about the new Greatest
Good McDonogh program.
3. Janet Mariani Herbert ’83,
Tom Mariani ’54, Carol Mariani,
and John Grega
4. Maury Garten ’85, Bridget Collins ’90,
and Leete Garten ’02.
5. John Beever ’50 and Jay Weiss ’50
>>>
52
53
>>>

>>>
WEDDINGS
’94 Derek J. Lindsey II and Telka Johnson, 11/29/19
’03 Virginia L. Rollins and Ryan Browning, 10/5/19
’05 Joseph David Newcomer and Megan Hyde, 9/15/18
’06 Conor P. Sartory and Tsvetina Vasileva, 8/30/19
’08 Samuel D. Greenberg and Katie Silver, 8/25/19
’08 Brian S. Hess and Kimberly Smith, 11/9/19
’08 Kira A. Paterakis and Jason Nissley, 8/31/19
’08 Rachel E. Serio and Michael McGuire, 9/6/19
’10 Zulqarnain Khan and Ishmal Malik, 6/29/19
’10 Megan E. Lentz and Craig Rushmore, 11/23/19
’11 Brendan T. Daly and Tori Seitz, 9/7/19
’11 Madeline M. Dulac and Mark Stafurik, 7/6/19
IN MEMORIAM
’40 John Moncure
’40 Ferdinand C. Nelson
’40 Ridgaway W. Perkins
’43 Michael J. Wagner, Jr.
’44 Cleveland H. Brooks
’44 E. Bryant Frech
’45 Joseph L. Harrison
’45 Thomas P. Rice
’49 John W. Borchers, Jr.
’52 James D. Barrick
’53 Donald I. McLeod
’55 John K. Knowles
MILESTONES
BIRTHS
’95 Louis R. Hyman and Katherine Howe: Charles Gage, 10/8/19
’97 Daniel S. Gelber and Anne Gelber: Shepherd Everett, 7/15/19
’98 Denise Cinquegrana Lara and Luis Lara: Lucia Grace, 10/21/19
’99 Jonathan T. Cole and Lauren Moag Cole ’02: Grace Alexandra, 11/5/19
’99 Victoria Brick Zupancic and Evan Zupancic: Jordan Amara, 8/4/19
’00 Jonathan K. Waller and Rachel Waller: William Charles Ayers, 10/29/19
’01 Julie E. Katz Heyman and Andrew M. Heyman: Abby Michelle, 7/4/19
’01 Chanel L. Lattimer Tingan and Alexis S. Tingan: Asa Ford, 6/6/2019
’02 Lauren Moag Cole and Jonathan T. Cole ’99: Grace Alexandra, 11/5/19
’03 Ashleigh J. Framm Lynn and Mark E. Weingram ’03: Dylan Jael, 11/16/19
’03 Jessica A. Morgan and Tarra Morgan: Saylor Aubrey James, 10/21/19
’03 Nicole L. Finkelstein Natoli and Brian Natoli: Cameron Lily, 02/11/19
’03 Timothy C. Newton and Tessa Newton: Annaliese Kathleen, 11/3/19
’03 Mark E. Weingram and Ashleigh J. Framm Lynn ’03: Dylan Jael, 11/16/19
’04 Scott B. Eisen and Jackie Eisen: Brooke Sophia, 9/5/19
’04 Charles F. Haugh IV and Sinead Nyhan: Fionnuala Margaret, 6/28/19
’04 Steven H. Klein and Elizabeth Klein: Noah George, 7/5/19
’05 Tiffany E. Hively and Kristie L. Bethke: Griffin Everett, 5/28/19
’05 Jeremy L. Sieverts and Jenna Sieverts: Quinn Ivy, 9/11/19
’05 Michael D. Zimmerman and Laura Zimmerman: Maeve Eliza, 10/27/19
’06 Deborah L. Sher Gold and Richard A. Gold ’07: Eleanor Mae, 10/17/19
’07 Richard A. Gold and Deborah L. Sher Gold ’06: Eleanor Mae, 10/17/19
’08 Emily E. Bray Cohen and Zachary Cohen: Theodore Howard, 9/2/19
’08 Gerrard V. Sheppard and Kristen Sheppard: Kinsley Grace, 5/22/19
’55 William E. Meuse
’56 J. Standish McCleary
’56 Frederick J. Reitz
’58 Robert E. Biddinger
’64 Julius L. Berky
’64 Douglas D. Lyons
’67 Carl G. Smith II
’76 Howard W. Brill
’76 Steven J. Dulkerian
As of December 20, 2019
54
>>>
>>>
55

CLASS NOTES
i
SUBMIT YOUR
PHOTOS
& CLASS NOTES
The deadline for the next
issue is May 15, 2020.
Upload class notes and photos to
mcdonogh.org/classnotes.
Photos will be published based on
quality and available space. Please
be sure to identify everyone.
Digital images are preferred and
should be at least 2 megapixels
[1600 x 1200 pixels].
Prints should be mailed to:
Alumni Office
McDonogh School
8600 McDonogh Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117
1946
EARL E. GESLER, JR. is happily
retired and living in Fort Myers,
Florida, where he spends his time
playing tennis, ping pong, and the
stock market.
1958
J. REVELL CARR and GEORGE E.
RAMSEY III have settled out West—
Revell in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and
George in Austin, Texas—and are able
to conveniently get together to
reminisce about McDonogh. Revell
has been living in Santa Fe for 12
years and is working on his third book
after serving as the Director and
President of Mystic Seaport Museum
for 23 years. George, who retired to
Austin after a successful career as an
attorney and businessman, sees
Revell while visiting his Santa Fe
summer home.
1959
In May 2019, DENNIS L. KURSEWICZ
and his wife, Nancy, traveled on the
Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia,
from Moscow to Siberia and then on
to Mongolia. Dennis had the
opportunity to hold a Golden Eagle,
which are the birds used by
Mongolian nomads for hunting.
>>>
>>>
Unofficial McDonogh Santa Fe Alumni
Gathering 2019 with Revell Carr ’58 (left) and
George Ramsey ’58
>>>
John Voneiff ’65 (left) and Sam Mace ’65
stopped for a photo while trekking in the
Tongass Rainforest in Ketchikan, Alaska, in
June 2019.
MULTIGENERATIONAL
MCDONOGH LOVE
To whom much is given, much
is expected. Doug Huether ’43 has
always believed in these words of
wisdom, which are a big part of his
family’s culture. Throughout his life,
Huether has taken this sage advice
to heart as he selflessly dedicated
himself to his church, The Children’s
Home in Catonsville, Gilchrist
Hospice Care, and McDonogh
School. His volunteerism has served
as an example for his children,
grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren
who like him, have
a passion for philanthropy.
Four years after graduating from
McDonogh, Huether joined the
Alumni Association as a way to
reconnect with the school that
shaped him. It was a fulfilling role,
and in 1959 he served as president
of the group. As he was able, he not
only gave of his time to McDonogh,
but also shared his treasure. He
generously contributed to capital
campaigns in support of new
facilities, faculty endowment, STEM
scholarships, Roots Farm, the
refurbishment of Memorial Court,
and the McDonogh Fund. He says
that he feels a profound
responsibility to give back and
impact current students.
When four of his great-grandchildren
enrolled at McDonogh (the first
entered in 2004), Huether was
delighted. Not only was he happy to
have his family engaged with the
school, it also gave him more
opportunities to visit campus. His
granddaughter, Courtney Gonzalez,
and her husband, Darryl, parents of
the four, immediately immersed
themselves in the life of the school.
Over the years, they have been
active members of the Parents
Association, assisted in the
classroom, volunteered with the
McDonogh Fund, worked at Roots
Farm, and coached sports teams.
Courtney says it was the teachers’
passion that inspired her
involvement. “When I see the level
of dedication and commitment from
these teachers, it’s contagious. I
want to be part of it, and that’s why
I volunteer.”
Giving to McDonogh is a
multigenerational affair. Over the
years, Courtney’s mother, Cathy
McClelland (Huether’s daughter)
has been a dedicated McDonogh
Fund phonathon volunteer; while
her father, Mac McClelland, has
contributed countless hours to
Roots Farm, most recently working
with Courtney to build the chicken
run. Even Huether’s wife, Anne Lee,
has a longstanding connection with
the school with her own progeny
having graduated from McDonogh.
Huether’s great-grandchildren,
Drew ’18, Brooke ’20, Josh ’22, and
Daniel Gonzalez ’25, are the latest
generation to serve the school in
>>>
their own unique ways from
volunteering for the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day of Service to manning
the cash register at A Honey of a
JamFest. Their mother, Courtney,
credits their involvement to the
family philosophy and to their
exposure to volunteerism at a
young age noting, “I hope that
service becomes second nature to
them.” She also says that, like her,
their desire to help is motivated by
their relationships with their
teachers. Every year when making a
gift to the McDonogh Fund, she
encourages each child to identify a
teacher who has made an impact
on them. The gifts are then made in
their honor, a gesture that is very
meaningful to Huether.
As he reflects on all that McDonogh
has given him and the legacy of
service he created in his family,
Huether says, “If you have been as
blessed as I have been, you have a
responsibility to pay it forward.”
— Danielle Schollaert and Meredith Bower
Four generations of the Huether family together on campus. Front row, from left: Anne Lee Huether, Doug Huether ’43,
and Cathy McClelland; back row, from left: Daniel Gonzalez ’25, Brooke Gonzalez ’20, Drew Gonzalez ’18, Darryl Gonzalez,
Courtney Gonzalez, Mac McClelland, and Josh Gonzalez ’22
56
>>>
>>>
57

CLASS NOTES
1967
THOMAS J. MACHAMER, Col., U.S.
Army, (Ret)., is continuing his
service to the U.S. Army as a
Department of Army Civilian with
the 1st Space Battalion, based in
Colorado Springs, Colorado. The
unit provides Army Space support
operations to U.S. Joint and Army
forces engaged in both operations
and exercises in the U.S. and
overseas.
1968
M. JAMES EGAN II is a producer,
screenwriter, and screenwriting
professor in Los Angeles,
California. He founded Wild at
Heart Films to create “media that
makes a difference,” and he has
produced a number of award-winning
films, including Jackpot (2001),
Angels in the Dust (2007), Kimjongilia
(2009), and Sound of Redemption
(2014). He most recently co-produced
the documentary Raise Hell: The Life
& Times of Molly Ivins, which was
released in August 2019. James was
also editor of the book John Waters
Interviews, and he serves as a
National Trustee for the Wounded
Marine Careers Foundation.
1969
MICHAEL K. ANDREWS, a Peace Corps
Response volunteer in Ukraine, is
using his photography to connect
>>>
Members of the Class of 1966 and 1967 gathered
in September for an Orioles game in Baltimore.
Front row, from left: Charlie Stewart ’67, Tom
Turner ’66, John Hampshire ’66, Ron Kittle ’66,
and Tim Farmer ’66; back row, from left: Greg
Klein ’66, Tim Wright ’66, Rocky Loewner ’66,
and Chris White ’66.
with and help preserve Ukrainian
village culture and traditions. Michael
began his Peace Corps Response
service as an Organizational Capacity
Building Specialist for 100% LIFE
Kropyvnytskyi, an HIV-service
nongovernmental organization. He has
expanded his service to include a
secondary project as a photographer
in the Baba Yelka cultural expedition.
He has taken on an important role in
Ukraine that has enabled him to
immerse himself in the culture of a
region that is not well represented.
1975
The publication launch celebration for
In Search of HEROES, a new children’s
book by MARK L. GRUBER-LEBOWITZ
and his husband, Sheldon, took place
at McDonogh on October 12. In Search
of HEROES helps children understand
that real heroes are all around, every
day...and that they look a lot like them!
Debbie Phelps, Executive Director of
the Education Foundation of
Baltimore County Public Schools and
mother of Olympic swimming
champion Michael Phelps, gave the
premier public reading.
>>>
Sam Thacker ’19 (left) meets Peter “Bear”
Dean ’76 during the University of Denver’s fall
ball lacrosse scrimmages in Baltimore in
mid-October.
>>>
Doug Silber ’76 (left) and Rick Faby ’76
1976
RICK F. FABY and DOUGLAS N. SILBER
went to West Palm Beach, Florida, in
November to work as lacrosse
officials at the 2019 Presidents Cup
high school girls lacrosse recruiting
tournament. They each covered more
than 14 miles on the busiest day of
the three-day tournament.
1977
J. THOMAS HOOD III, CEO & Executive
Director of the Maryland Association
of CPAs, was voted the second-most
influential person in accounting by
Accounting Today for his vision,
communication, and innovation. Tom
was also recognized by The Daily
Record as one of Maryland’s 2019
Most Admired CEOs for his leadership
and vision.
>>>
Members of the Class of 1978 gathered at M&T
Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens vs.
Cincinnati Bengals game in October. From left: Rick
Smith, Glen Lazzaro, Kent Leacock, Arthur Adler,
Grant Aleksander, Tracy Bowden, Chris Chambers,
Scott Simmons, and Stan Kraska (kneeling).
>>>
From left: Bob Carpenter ’78, Eileen Flynn Toohey ’77, Richard
Silberstein ’77, Kevin Bell ’77, and Bob Kaufman ’78 posed for a photo
at Richard’s son’s wedding at the Sagamore Pendry Hotel.
>>>
Dwight Bues ’78, an Engineering Manager at
SAIC in Reston, Virginia, donated a digital
microscope and sublimation printer in support
of the Middle School science program and
makerspace. Dwight is actively involved with
SAIC’s STEM efforts nationwide as the STEM
Business Resource Group Lead, and he
provides continued support to McDonogh.
Dwight (center) is flanked by Middle School
science teachers Kate Flint, Eileen Heady, and
Gregg Kleiman.
>>>
Back row, from left: Mark Gruber-Lebowitz ’75 and
his husband, Sheldon; seated: Dr. Robert Dubel,
former Superintendent of Baltimore County Public
Schools, and Debbie Phelps.
58
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59

CLASS NOTES
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Bill Ayares ’81 and his mother, Adrienne, on
her visit to San Diego and Balboa Park in
August 2019.
1979
CHARLES D. BROOKS recently
announced that he is retiring as
Managing Director from Cat
Financial South Africa after 33 years
of distinguished service. Dave
started his career in the Northeast
Region office based in Baltimore in
1986, and he held various positions
around the world until landing in
South Africa in 2018. Once retired in
April, Dave and his wife, Beth, will
relocate back to Nashville,
Tennessee, where they plan to travel,
enjoy the outdoors, and spend time
with family.
1981
WILLIAM J. AYARES is celebrating
five wonderful years in San Diego,
California, and he continues to travel
and explore whenever possible. He
has visited 110 countries, all 50
states, and 361 national park sites.
1988
ROBERT J. LYALL recently worked on
the National Geographic expedition
in search of Ameila Earhart’s plane in
the South Pacific with ocean
explorer Dr. Robert Ballard. Two
other members of the expedition
were ERNEST KOVACS, JR. ’84 and
JESSE GOLDBERG, who attended
McDonogh for middle school and is
the son of the late Robert S.
Goldberg, Head of the World
Languages Department at
McDonogh from 1984 to 1996.
1989
JOHN O. MITCHELL IV was installed as
Treasurer of the National Funeral
Directors Association (NFDA) in
October at the annual convention
held in Chicago, Illinois. Jack will
serve in this capacity until he
becomes President-elect in October
2020 and President in October 2021.
NFDA comprises 22,000 individual
members, representing 11,000 funeral
homes, with members in 49 countries
around the world.
1994
DONTA D. EVANS was promoted to
Director of Admissions at The
Haverford School after serving as
Associate Director of Admissions and
Community Relations for five years.
Prior to Haverford, Donta spent
almost 14 years at McDonogh as a
physical education teacher, head boys
varsity basketball coach, and Director
of the Foundations Program.
>>>
Photo taken by Rob Lyall ’88 of The Nautilus,
a research vessel towing an underwater,
remotely-operated vehicle that was used to
hunt for Amelia Earhart’s airplane, which
disappeared in 1937.
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Jack Soliman ’88 was awarded Houston’s
2019 High School Golf Coach of the Year after
his girls team won the Southwest Preparatory
Conference State Title for three consecutive
years. Jack coaches golf and teaches AP U.S.
History at St. John’s School.
DEVINDER P. SINGH accepted a
position as the next Chief of Plastic
Surgery at the University of Miami/
Jackson Memorial Hospital. Devinder,
his wife, Erin, and their daughter,
Penny, will be moving to South Florida
this spring.
SONIA L. CHASE is the Assistant
Coach for the Washington Fusion, one
of six basketball teams within the first
Global Mixed Gender Basketball
(GMGB) league. Sonia loves the
mission of the GMGB and is proud to
be part of a team where professional
men and women play basketball on
the court at the same time and are
paid the same amount.
From left: Rob Lyall ’88, Jesse Goldberg, and
Ernie Kovacs ’84.
1995
LOUIS R. HYMAN received Princeton
University’s William G. Bowne Award
for Outstanding Book on Labor and
Public Policy for Temp: How American
Work, American Business, and the
American Dream Became Temporary.
The award was given by Princeton’s
Industrial Relations Section for the
most important contribution in 2018
toward understanding public policy
related to industrial relations and the
operations of labor markets.
2000
FRAYDA SALKIN, retired Archivist and
Honorary Alumna, published a memoir,
How I Lost 200 Pounds in One Day and
Lived to Tell About It. In the book,
Frayda shares her story of survival after
suddenly finding herself single after 30
years of marriage. One Amazon review
says, “Frayda Salkin writes a captivating
memoir of her personal voyage to
celebrate life after her divorce.”
>>>
Patrick Mace ’98 enjoys hearing updates about
former art teacher Oletha DeVane, and he
visited her exhibit, Traces of the Spirit, at the
Baltimore Museum of Art this past fall.
2002
In September, ALI M. ANDRZEJEWSKI
was featured in The Baltimore Sun for
her work with youth in Central
America. In 2008, Ali founded More
Than Fútbol, a program that
combines soccer with education and
empowerment in Belize and
Nicaragua. It has become a powerful
program that provides children an
outlet and safe environment, while
helping them to do better in school.
Ali was a two-time All-American, U.S.
National Team player and professional
soccer player. She is also the founder
of Baltimore-based Champions
Soccer Training.
2004
BRETT S. GREENBERG was promoted
to Assistant General Manager,
Strategy and Analytics of the
Washington Wizards in July after nine
years with the organization. In his
role, Greenberg will analyze salary
caps and contract negotiations while
incorporating analytics into the
team’s processes. Fellow alumnus
BENJAMIN A. EIDELBERG ’11, who has
worked for the Wizards since 2015,
was promoted to Manager of
Basketball Strategy and Analytics.
GREGORY R. SCRUGGS received an
award for best short-form feature
news reporting from the Pacific
>>>
>>>
Brett Greenberg ’04 (left) and Ben Eidelberg ’11
posed for a photo on campus for a feature in
The Baltimore Sun.
Greg Scruggs ’04 hoists a harpoon in the
workshop of a prominent whaling captain in
Utqiagvik.
Northwest chapter of the Society of
Professional Journalists for his reporting
on indigenous whaling in Arctic Alaska
for the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
His piece “Sea of Plenty? Native
Alaskans Celebrate Indigenous Whaling
Victory” is featured on place.com.
>>>
Gini Rollins ’03 married Ryan Browning on
October 5, 2019, at McDonogh’s Roots Farm.
From left: Wait Aumann ’00, Neerja Razdan ’03,
Billy Rollins ’00, Barry Rollins ’74, Gini, Ryan,
Kristin Messmer ’03, Bill Wilkerson ’74, Jeff
Rogers ’74, and George Mullinix ’74.
60
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61

CLASS NOTES
2005
LINDSAY C. YOUNG competed in
the 2019 USASA National Snowboard
Championships in Copper Mountain,
Colorado. She earned 10th place
nationally in the women’s parallel giant
slalom and ninth place nationally in the
women’s parallel slalom. This
competition concluded a successful
race season, in which she took first
place in the Big Mountain West Series
for both women’s slalom and giant
slalom and competed in the FIS
NorAm Cup against Olympic and
World Cup racers.
>>>
>>>
Joseph David Newcomer ’05 was married to Megan Elizabeth Hyde on September 15, 2018, at the
Sandy W. Okun Ginsberg ’05 earned her
Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore. Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree.
2013
DANIEL T. SINGER attended the
Naval Dive and Salvage Training
Center in Panama City, Florida, for
18 weeks to obtain his Navy Second
Class Diver qualification. With this
training, Danny will be able to
provide in-water engineering
Rachel Serio ’08 married Michael McGuire on
support to active duty Navy divers
September 6, 2019, at Walker’s Overlook in
for his employer, the Naval
Walkersville, Maryland. Front row, from left:
Undersea Warfare Center. He relied
Molly Cole Duffy ’04, Mack McGee ’03, Michelle
on his McDonogh experiences,
Freeman Limburg ’02, Rachel, Taylor Serio ’10,
particularly his time on the water
Meghan McGuire McGee ’02, Beth Sauer
polo and swim teams, to overcome
Hopkins ’02, Dawson DeLeonibus, and Medley
the physical and mental challenges
McGuire DeLeonibus ’04; second row, from left:
of Navy dive school.
Von Tourgee ’04, Chuck Rizzo ’04, Katie
Sauer ’03, Kimmy Freeman Newell ’03, Brooke
Poklemba ’04, Lexi Poklemba Hartner ’02,
2014
Brittany Serio Freet ’05, and Kristin Larduskey
JOSHUA Q. W. WOODS made the
Kahler ’05; third row, from left: Brad Freeman,
regular-season, 53-man roster of
Paul Serio ’04, and Drew Singleton ’04
the Chicago Bears in September
>>>
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Evan Lipinski ’10 and Dennis Soh ’00 ran into
each other while taking a helicopter tour in
Kauai, Hawaii.
2019, after spending the 2018 season
on the Bears practice squad proving
himself as an inside linebacker. During
the December 5 game against the
Dallas Cowboys, Josh paid homage to
his former McDonogh and University
of Maryland teammate, Jordan
McNair ’17 (who died of heatstroke
two weeks after a University of
Maryland football practice in 2018),
by displaying his number (79) on his
cleats. He wanted to honor Jordan’s
dream of playing in an NFL game.
2016
SHANNON N. CASON is the Chair of
the University of Virginia’s University
Judiciary Committee, the student-run,
central governing and operating body
of the University Judicial System. She
aims to make the Judiciary
Committee more preventive and less
>>>
>>>
Madeline Dulac ’11 married Mark
Stafurik on July 6, 2019, in Spring
Lake, New Jersey. Front row, from
left: Michael Millian ’11, Madeline,
and Adam Sperber; back row, from
left: Gussie Maguire ’10, Kerry
Maguire ’10, Abby Brundage, Erica
Johnson ’11, and Rachel Nerenberg.
Danny Singer ’13 is pictured in the front row on
the far right.
reactive by encouraging students to
be more mindful of stress
management and drinking. Shannon
is studying cognitive science and
Spanish on a pre-med track.
2017
CATHERINE C. MAY and MICHAEL J.
SHINSKY ’16 were selected as two of
24 student-athletes in the first class
of Gossett Fellows at the University
of Maryland. This new program offers
rising senior and junior studentathletes
an innovative educational
experience that helps develop them
for their post-graduate careers.
2018
MADELEINE E. JENNER and EMMA N.
SCHETTIG ’19 were selected as two
of 18 lacrosse players to represent
the country in the U-19 World
Lacrosse Championship, which will
be held from August 1-10 in
Peterborough, Ontario. Maddie is a
sophomore at Duke University and
Emma is a freshman at the
University of Maryland. The yearlong
selection process started in the
summer of 2018 with a three-day
tryout for 100 players and ended
with 24 players competing for the
final time in June 2019.
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63

CLASS NOTES BABIES
10
1 2
4 5
7 8
11
12
3
9
1. Bill Leonard ’66 is proud to announce that his granddaughter, Zoe Elizabeth Leonard,
was born on January 23, 2019.
2. Dan Gelber ’97 and Anne Gelber welcomed Shepherd Everett on July 15, 2019.
3. Tiffany Hively ’05 (left) and Kristie Bethke are happy to announce the birth of
their son, Griffin Everett, on May 28, 2019.
4. Jon Waller ’00, Rachel Waller, and big sister Grace welcomed William Charles Ayers
on October 29, 2019.
5. Jonathan Cole ’99 and Lauren Moag Cole ’02 welcomed Grace Alexandra on
November 5, 2019. Grace joins big sisters Amelia, Eliza, and Mary.
6. Brittany Harris Benjamin ’07, Everett Benjamin, and big sister Zara welcomed
Zion Allysse on June 26, 2019.
7. Jessy Morgan ’03 gave birth to a healthy baby girl on October 21, 2019, in Baltimore.
Her classmate, Dr. Lindsey Apple ’03, delivered Saylor Aubrey James.
8. Ashleigh Lynn ’03, Mark Weingram ’03, and big brother Baer, welcomed Dylan Jael on
November 16, 2019.
9. Deb Sher Gold ’06 and Richard Gold ’07 welcomed Eleanor Mae on October 17, 2019.
10 Emily Bray Cohen ’12 and Zachary Cohen welcomed their son, Theodore Howard, on
September 2, 2019.
11. Scott Eisen ’04 and Jackie Eisen welcomed Brooke Sophia on September 5, 2019.
Pictured is Brooke at her first of many McDonogh vs. Gilman football games.
12. Mick Zimmerman ’05 and Laura Zimmerman welcomed Maeve Eliza on October 27, 2019,
pictured with big brother Rhett.
6
The future
starts here.
McDonogh prepares
students for the future
and empowers them
to make a difference.
Investing in our school
today will impact our
world tomorrow.
Please make a gift to
the McDonogh Fund.
WAYS TO GIVE
@mcdonoghfund
mcdonogh.org/give
443.544.7051
Monthly Payments
443.544.7051
Stock Transfers
443.544.7044
McDonogh School
Office of Philanthropy
8600 McDonogh Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117
4
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8600 McDonogh Road
Owings Mills, Maryland 21117-0380
www.mcdonogh.org
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Baltimore, MD
Permit No. 6440
PARTING SHOT
In October, Roots Farm welcomed its newest residents, three Black Spanish Heritage turkeys
named Henry, Cranberry, and Maple. No, they weren’t on the menu for Thanksgiving; Roots
is fostering the three birds for the next year or so on behalf of Reid Nichols, an alumni
parent. Nichols, who has been raising the male and two female turkeys since 2018, needed
a temporary home for them and immediately thought of McDonogh. Director of Roots Farm
Sharon Hood says she plans to use the turkeys to teach students about breeding, which can
help prevent the heritage birds from becoming extinct. It’s a win-win for everyone.
>>>
March 6
March 8
March 9
March 10
March 13
April 3–5
April 16
April 17
April 23
April 23–26
April 25
April 26
April 26
April 28
April 30
May 1
May 2 & 3
May 5
May 14
May 16 & 17
May 19
May 21
May 22
May 26
May 29
June 1
June 5
COMING UP
Multicultural Night
Vocal Residency Performance
MS Spring Band Concert
Boston Alumni Reception
An Evening Salon with Chamber Music
New York Alumni Reception
Prekindergarten Performance
US Drama Production: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Scholarship Luncheon
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Grade & McDonogh Singers Showcase
LS Adventure with the Arts Day
Art Pop-Up Day
Reunion Weekend
Private Music Voice Recital
Private Music Instrumental Recital
Gospel Choir Concert
All School Strings Concert
A Night of Percussion
Head of School Day
US Spring Choral Concert
US Jazz & Concert Band Concert
MS Evening of Dance
SongFest Benefit Concert
MS Talent Show
Memorial Day Service
Cardboard Boat Race
MS Academy Showcase
LS Closing Ceremony
The Stewart Senior Honors Recital
Eighth Grade Closing Ceremony
US Baccalaureate & Commencement Ceremonies