Innovations in the Arts - Newark Academy

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4 faculty focus WHERE ARE THEY NOW? RAY CRUITT NA Faculty: 1966-1984 Chair, History and Humanities Departments (1970-1980) Director of Development (1979-1984) Most people who know Ray Cruitt will agree that he has made significant and valuable contributions to Newark Academy – as a dedicated teacher, a principled department chair, and an accomplished fundraiser. Cruitt’s career path began at Dun and Bradstreet in East Orange as a manager in charge of training new employees. Growing dissatisfied in that position, he began taking graduate courses at Rutgers for teaching certification. One evening, a teacher from Newark Academy came to his class with three NA seniors. Cruitt was so impressed by these students that he scheduled a meeting with Headmaster Robert Butler to discuss teaching opportunities at the Academy. Two weeks later, an offer was made and Cruitt began his teaching career here in 1966. A student entry in the 1969 yearbook stated: “Whether it’s teaching the basics to his European History students or giving back a test to a disgruntled group of A.P. European History students, Mr. Cruitt always commands everyone’s respect. With an astute knowledge of historical movements, he stresses evaluation and analysis as the keynote, and not facts.” Blackie Parlin fondly recalled the imaginative elective course Cruitt developed that had a lasting impact on many of Cruitt’s students. The course, “Cities in Civilization” drew from Cruitt’s own experience in the Army where he traveled to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Dublin and many other thriving urban communities. It included a comparative study of three influential cities: Rome, Florence and New York. The course concluded with a look at cities in decline, with hopes for urban renewal, such as the struggling city of Newark. Cruitt’s special qualities and talents, however, transcended the classroom. Citing examples of thoughtful foresight and disciplined leadership, Parlin attested, “Ray Cruitt is an exceptionally fine human being, a man of integrity.” In 1976, as the nation celebrated its bicentennial anniversary, Cruitt was appointed to direct Newark Academy’s festivities. OUTREACH spring 2008 With his usual determination, quiet leadership and skilled organizational abilities, he coordinated programs, assemblies and events. Little did he know then, successful implementation of this charge was a prelude to the next phase of his career at the Academy. Cruitt was more than a bit surprised when, in 1979, Headmaster Allan Strand asked him to serve as Newark Academy’s director of development. “I’m not sure what those people do,” Cruitt recounted. Nevertheless, he accepted the challenge and learned within a short period of time that it was a match made in heaven. In his role as the Academy’s director of development, Cruitt raised the annual fund to new levels by increasing total giving and number of donors. He also established a strong alumni relations program, reinvigorated the alumni association’s leadership board, and spearheaded the creation of a new Academy seal and graphic identity. In the mid-1980s the charms of southern living beckoned, and Ray moved to Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Eve, and their children, Raymond and Jennafer. He served as assistant headmaster for external affairs at the Asheville School (an independent boarding school situated on a 300-acre campus) until his retirement in 2002. Once again, his winning ways led to numerous awards and achievements, including a CASE award for his outstanding development program. In 2002 he was named “Fund Raising Executive of the Year in Western North Carolina” and that same year, the Ray Cruitt Scholarship Fund was established at the Asheville School, later garnering a $1 million gift from an alumnus in honor of Cruitt’s many years of dedicated service to the school. Beyond retirement, Cruitt has continued to serve as a consultant to several nonprofit organizations, including a community college, a YMCA, a nature center and a regional medical center. Newark Academy is now fortunate to be counted among those institutions receiving his counsel and sage advice. He has recently been engaged to serve as a consultant to the Office of Institutional Advancement.
Last January, Elizabeth Barbato (English) was one of nine poets selected to attend the prestigious Colrain Poetry Conference in Massachusetts. At the conference, Barbato received critiques of her work and met with editors. As a result of the conference, she will have three poems published, one in Apple Valley Review, and two in PoetryBay. Additionally, Barbato will have poems published in The Litchfield Review and Foliate Oak. Upper School Principal Richard DiBianca has been a strong advocate for off-campus study experiences. Since 1999, 40 Newark Academy students have spent either a semester or a full school year in these immersion learning experiences, in such locations as Colorado, France, the Maine coast and Beijing. The newest program, set to debut during the 2008-09 school year is The School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL). SEGL will provide ethics and leadership training, as well as an introduction to the Mandarin and Arabic languages. It will take advantage of its location in Washington, D.C., tapping governmental and NGO personnel to inform, inspire and challenge students. SEGL’s founder, Noah Bopp, and DiBianca led a session at the NAIS annual conference in New York. On a recent trip to the UK, Director of College Counseling Karen Ferretti ’91 visited seven colleges in 12 days. Among them: Trinity University in Dublin, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland, as well as the University of Richmond and the London School of Economics in England. According to Ferretti, two or three students per year choose to attend college overseas and many more, who attend American schools, spend a semester abroad. The tour presented the perfect opportunity to visit with NA students and explore the culture and traditions of European education systems. Milestones Garrett Caldwell (Humanities) and his wife, Liz, welcomed their second child, James, on March 15. He joins big sister, Sophie. Yvette Luxenberg (Dance) married Jeff Rose on April 6 in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. The couple resides in Chatham. María Teresa McNeilly-Anta ’93 (Spanish) and her husband, Brad, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Sebastián, born on January 28. Sebastián loves being held by his brother “NUTTY BY NATURE” by Elaine Brodie I love my day job as an art teacher, but the theater has always beckoned me. I didn’t heed the call until my mid- ’40s. After years of hamming it up with friends and family, I decided to take an acting class, and another, and another. Now, I am in the spotlight several times a month at a variety of clubs and theaters in New Jersey doing Improv with the professional troupe, “Nutty by Nature.” I call it acting without a net. We base each show totally on audience suggestions. There is no script. Scenarios and scenes are made up right on the spot! Occasionally my two worlds infiltrate each other. The crazy characters I have developed in the theater turn up in my classroom at Newark Academy. As I launch into a demonstration in the art studios, I find myself relaying the information in a thick Russian accent. THAT gets their attention! Conversely, I often use crazy teaching moments on stage to enhance a scene. Kennedy (6), while Isabela (2) is enjoying her new role as a big sister. Jesus Sendon (Spanish) and his wife became the proud parents of baby Noah in March. Julius Tolentino (Instrumental Music) and his wife, Michelle, welcomed their beautiful daughter, Alexis, on January 17. She joins big brother, Jacob. faculty focus FACULTY FOCUS spring 2008 5
Page 1 and 2: outreach NEWARK ACADEMY SPRING 2008
Page 3 and 4: Contents 14 21 22 Features 14 Ignit
Page 5: Perspectives FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOO
Page 9 and 10: WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE A SCHOOL-WI
Page 11 and 12: Fabulous Fibs Mathematician Leonard
Page 13 and 14: When Someday BY MARCIA WORTH-BAKER
Page 15 and 16: NA ATHLETIC TEAMS HAVE A NEW LOOK!
Page 17 and 18: Fresh Faces In September 2007, Vira
Page 19 and 20: Winter Musical: The Klemperers’ N
Page 21 and 22: THE 2008 ANNUAL FUND PHONATHON MORE
Page 23 and 24: A “GROWING” EFFORT During the w
Page 25 and 26: “Travel itself is more than mere
Page 27 and 28: own carbon footprint on the earth,
Page 29 and 30: Some of measures that Crystal Sprin
Page 31 and 32: from the Archives by Blackie Parlin
Page 33 and 34: Alumni News & Events From the Presi
Page 35 and 36: 1 2 4 6 5 3 NEW YORK CITY December
Page 37 and 38: Alumni Soccer The annual alumni soc
Page 39 and 40: Class Notes 1930 Bob Busse was rece
Page 41 and 42: ecently been appointed director of
Page 43 and 44: suffered from this illness and is n
Page 45 and 46: him rollerblading around his neighb
Page 47 and 48: The Hinson family: Laura, Eli ’85
Page 49 and 50: Emily Uddin-Alves ’91 and husband
Page 51 and 52: Melanie Richards ’95 and her husb
Page 53 and 54: Clockwise from the top: Rachel Klin
Page 55 and 56: Newark Academy Minuteman Golf Invit

Innovations in the Arts - Newark Academy

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?