NMH Launches 130th Anniversary Campaign
Northfield Mount Hermon School trustees, Head of School Thomas K. Sturtevant, and donors gathered in New York City May 7 to celebrate the public launch of an $80 million comprehensive campaign. Guests attended the Broadway production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, starring Academy-award nominated actress Laura Linney. A 1982 NMH graduate and honorary chair of the NMH Arts Advisory Council, Linney joined the group for a post-performance reception.

The NMH 130th Anniversary Campaign, the largest and most ambitious campaign in the school’s history, will help raise funds for initiatives including the NMH Annual Fund, the endowment, and facilities.  The school expects to reach its goal by June 2009, to coincide with the 130th anniversary of the school’s founding.

“We are here tonight to celebrate the tradition of excellence at NMH, particularly in the arts,” Sturtevant said during the reception. “We are here to connect with our school and with each other, and to learn why NMH is worthy of our investment. We are here to cheer the milestones we have achieved and to look forward to the challenges and successes ahead of us.”

To date, NMH has raised $65 million in gifts and pledges during the quiet phase of the campaign. Trustee and campaign cochair Janet Turnbull Irving, parent of an NMH sophomore, applauded the school’s fundraising progress and announced the kick off of the public phase of the campaign: “NMH has had seven fundraising campaigns since 1928. Today, we have raised almost more in this campaign than in all seven campaigns combined. This is a remarkable accomplishment. We intend to meet our $80 million goal to support the school’s mission and its most vitals assets—the students and faculty.”

Bolger House Begun
David Bolger ’50 grabbed a shovel, as did members of the NMH Board of Trustees and Head of School Tom Sturtevant, and turned over the earth where the new admission building, Bolger House, will stand, ready to open in fall of 2009. Shaded by the pine trees in the memorial grove to the west, the groundbreaking ceremony May 1 was accompanied by drumming by the World Percussion Ensemble. NMH students thanked Bolger for his dedication to the school, and all ate ice cream, made from milk from the cows at NMH’s farm, and named Bolger Berry Swirl by local ice cream makers Snow’s of Greenfield.

Several NMH tour guides, students who work with admission staff to orient visitors to campus, presented Bolger with a framed copy of the floor plans of Bolger House. “On behalf of the tour guides and all of NMH, I would like to thank you, Mr. Bolger, for your generosity,” said Leo Chiquillo ’09 as he presented the plans that were signed by the tour guides and members of the admission staff. Mark Chardack ’74, the chair of the board of called Mr. Bolger, “a living example of a person who gives with his head, heart, and hands,” adding, “When he sees a need, he fills it, and we are grateful for his many years of support to our school.”

Sturtevant thanked Bolger, who has given credit to a minister at NMH, who inspired him with the words of a Christian hymn, “Stand by me.” “David, you have stood by us all the way, and we are grateful for your strength, your wisdom, your vision, and your legacy.”

Following the ceremony, Sturtevant invited Bolger, his sons John Bolger and J.T. Bolger, and the board of trustees, to a celebratory dinner at Ford Cottage where Bolger was presented with a watercolor rendering of the building. Bolger also was given a rocking chair, one of several that will grace the wrap-around porch of Bolger House. To see photos of the event, click here.

The Magic of Service
At the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, at Montague and Greenfield parks, at residents’ homes, and all around their own campuses, NMH students took a break from the work of the head Thursday, and instead worked on the heart and the hand, volunteering their time and hard work during Service Day.

Elementary students from surrounding schools brightened the campus with their laughter as groups of NMHers led acting workshops, sports games, and craft projects.

Each and every student and faculty member had a job to do, from clearing trails for the upcoming Adventure Challenge, to painting benches, to weeding around Perry Pond at Northfield, to mucking stalls at the farm. At lunchtime, those on campus assembled for a barbecue behind Memorial Chapel before going back to work.

And for dinner, the class of 2011 decked the dining hall in a Harry Potter homage, fabricating a faux Hogwarts, complete with banners from the four houses (Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Griffindor), pumpkinish juice, candles hanging in midair, and shepherd’s pie. Several ninth graders wore robes, wizard caps, and brandished wands. It was a pretty magical day.

Ring Those Bells
The 47-bell carillon that stood in Russell Sage Chapel on the Northfield campus for decades is being moved to NMH’s Rhodes Center for the Arts. A crew dismantled the instrument with a crane and trucked the bells over the Connecticut River. Workers plan to install the carillon into the specially built bell tower April 21 and 22. The bells will toll at reunion this June during a ceremony for the class of 1958, which helped raise the $500,000 for the move. Bringing a physical piece of Northfield to the unified NMH campus, “is both healing and a recognition of our loyalty to the school,” says Joan M. Walker, a member of Northfield's class of 1958 and an organizer of the fundraising effort. See photos and read articles in The Recorder and The Republican.

Author Boylan to Speak at NMH
Jennifer Finney Boylan’s best-selling works include I’m Looking through You (2003), She’s Not There (2008), several novels, and a collection of short stories. A professor of creative writing and American literature at Colby College for 20 years, Boylan, who used to publish under the name James Boylan, writes about gender and much, much more. She’ll speak here April 16. About her work, the playwright Edward Albee said in 1988, “Boylan observes carefully, and with love. [Her] levitating wit is wisely tethered to a humane concern…. I often broke into laughter, and was now and again, struck with wonder.”

Boylan has appeared on the “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Larry King Live,” and “The Today Show,” and has been the subject of a documentary on CBS News’ “48 Hours.” She has also appeared on a wide range of local and syndicated television shows, as well as NPR's “Marketplace” and “The Diane Rehm” show. In 2007 she played herself on two episodes of ABC's “All My Children.” She has spoken widely around the country on gender and imagination, at venues including the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and at colleges and universities.

Former Hoggers Reach Postseason Heights
The UMass Minutemen face Ohio State in the championship game of the Division I National Invitational Tournament Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Three NMH alumni are on the team: Gary Correia ’07, Matt Glass ’07, and Tony Gaffney ’04. The game will be broadcast at 7 pm on ESPN.

This year, nine former Hoggers played in postseason tournaments. In the Division I NCAA Tournament, Boris Meno ’04 and the Davidson College Wildcats played Cinderella this year as they lost in the Regional Final to the University of Kansas and just missed the Final Four (Boris is the captain of the Davidson team). Ty Nash ’07 and the University of Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish were upset by George Mason University in the first round. In the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, Joe Wolfinger '05 and the University of Washington Huskies hosted Valparaiso in the first round.

In Division II play, Alex Popp ’04 and the Assumption College Greyhounds reached to NCAA regional final versus Bentley College, the #1 ranked team in the country. Andrew Lyell ’05 and the Bryant University Bulldogs lost to Bentley College in the NCAA regional semifinal.

And in Division III, Robert Taylor ’03 and the Trinity College Bantams lost in the first round of the Division III NCAA tournament to the Coast Guard Academy. The loss ends a great college career for Taylor.

Speaker Urges Help for Africa
The founder of an organization that aims to improve the lives of Africans told a group at NMH that their help is needed. Nana Fosu-Randall, who formed the group Voices for African Mothers, was the State of the World speaker March 27. She pointed out that within Africa are ten countries that are home to tragic conflicts.

After working and traveling for the United Nations for 29 years, Nana Fosu-Randall in 1997 founded a Montessori School, which has grown to educate 700 students, in Ghana. In 2004, she founded the nonprofit group VAM, which teaches both conflict prevention and conflict resolution to solve problems. The group works with residents, especially women, in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda to teach them to be leaders. The Recorder of Greenfield, MA, covered Fosu-Randall’s addres.

Call for Art
The Rhodes Center for the Arts, opening in September 2008, will be home to a professional art gallery. Philip Calabria, gallery director and chair of the visual arts department, is planning the 2008-09 exhibit schedule. He would like to display professional-quality works—either two- or three-dimensional—by NMH alumni, friends, or other professional artists (no individual pieces; an artist’s work must fill the gallery).

Calabria invites submissions of artists’ personal work through slides, a CD, or web address. Patrons of the arts interested in showing their own collection are welcome to submit. For more information, contact Philip Calabria at pcalabria@nmhschool.org.

Alumnus Dives in
Kai Robinson ’05, a junior at Amherst College, became the new NCAA Division III national champion diver on the three meter-springboard at a meet at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, this weekend. Robinson won the one-meter springboard event earlier in the week, and was recognized on March 23 as the Diver of the Meet.

His coach, Mary Ellen Clark, was recognized as the Diving Coach of the Meet and the Amherst College swimming and diving team placed 10th overall. 

Earlier this month Robinson won the 1- and 3-meter springboard diving events at the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Swimming and Diving Championships held at Middlebury College.

Amy Domini '68 to Speak at Commencement
This year's commencement speaker will be Amy Domini '68. Voted in 2005 to Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people, Domini is recognized as a leading voice for socially responsible investing. In 1989 she and two partners created the Domini 400 Social Index, which rates companies on 140 issues ranging from toxic-waste fines to diversity in top management. Domini now oversees Domini Social Investments, a mutual fund giant that invests in environmentally and socially responsible companies.

 

 

Concert Hall Named for Legendary Choral Director
In recognition of NMH’s historically rich music program and tradition of excellent teaching, the board of trustees has announced that the spectacular 225-seat concert hall in the new Rhodes Center for the Arts will be named in honor of former music teacher and choral director Albert R. Raymond and his wife, Virginia B. Raymond, also a teacher at NMH.

Raymond, who taught and directed choral music at both Northfield and Mount Hermon for 30 years, is considered a legend by many alumni who attended the schools between 1943 and 1973. A perfectionist who encouraged his students to reach for their best, Raymond won prestigious awards for his teaching abilities but always deflected praise to his students. In turn, many of his former students say Raymond influenced their lives more than any other teacher, not only by bringing a love of music into their lives, but also by teaching them confidence, respect, and compassion.

NMH invites alumni and friends of the school to honor the Raymonds by making a gift to the Raymond Concert Hall fund. Patricia Johnstone LaCrosse ’53, inspired by a recent collaboration to name the art center’s rehearsal hall in honor of current choral director Sheila Heffernon, has made a generous donation to spearhead this fundraising project.

 

NMH’s Upward Bound Program Turns 40
NMH began offering college preparatory help to low-income students during the Johnson Administration. On March 8 more than 200 people gathered to help the school celebrate 40 years of Upward Bound, the federal program that helps talented public high school students from western Massachusetts prepare for college.

During the ceremony, Wilfredo Perez ’04 spoke about how Upward Bound changed his life. The senior and medical-student-to-be at Brown University recalled doing homework in a homeless shelter before attending NMH.

Perez later started the nonprofit Operation Happy Birthday, which celebrates birthdays of children in homeless shelters. He received a full scholarship to go to NMH and said without NMH’s Upward Bound program, he’s not sure if he would have gone to college. “No one in the history of my family has ever even graduated from high school,” he said.

Later, Charlie Tierney, the assistant head of school, presented State Rep. Christopher Donelan with the Howard Jones Award for his advocacy for access to higher education. Dezee Olivo of the Springfield High School of Science and Technology (a UB graduate) read a citation by State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg. Thomas Putnam, who led NMH’s UB program from 1992 to 1999, and who now is the director of the JFK Presidential Library, also spoke. Brad Zervas, who led UB from 1990 to 1992 and is currently the executive director of the Boys’ Club of New York, addressed the crowd, as did Alex Hiam, a trustee for the Edwin S. Webster Foundation who received the Friends of Upward Bound Award. There was also a silent auction. See photos.

Wrestling Gold
Led by four champions and five place-winners, the NMH wrestlers struck gold, capturing the school's first New England Wrestling Championship. NMH's margin of victory was the largest in tournament history and was a fitting capstone to a season that saw the team win the Class A League Tournament, three other tournaments, place 11th in the National Championships, and post a 21-1 season dual meet record. Fourty-four of the 50 New England wrestling schools were represented at the event. The team title helped to soothe the frustrating second-place finishes in '98, '01, and '02 for retiring Coach Frank Millard.

Omar Bey '10 (112) was the first champ as he overwhelmed his opponent in the finals. His opponent was a two-time New England Champ, a two-time All American, and had pinned Omar in last year's NE finals and in the finals of an early season tournament this year. Naval-Academy-bound John Coutoumas '08 (125), who was never challenged in the tournament and in the finals, beat the defending champion. Todd Patterson '08 (130) was the next champ, and his relentless attacking mode allowed him to wear down all of his opponents. TJ Strunk '08 capped off the champs with another dominating performance as he completely controlled his opponents when they were on their feet wrestling for a takedown. The Hoggers' four champions ties the school record for number of champions set in 1997.

Alum's Film Wins Oscar
A film produced by NMH alum Don Glascoff ’63 won an Oscar for best documentary. The film, Taxi to the Dark Side, tells the story of an Afghan taxi driver who is mistakenly arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and murdered, even though his American captors know he is innocent. The movie includes interviews with the man’s killers, young American servicemen who felt they were simply following orders. Glascoff was on campus in November to talk about the work. “The film tracks the responsibility for a policy of torture to the highest levels of American government,” he says. 

Glascoff is a retired partner and co-chairman of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, the oldest Wall Street law firm. He is the chairman of the Park Avenue Bank in New York City. His experience is in international casino and hotel development and management, public and private debt and equity offerings by commingled investment vehicles and financial institutions, real estate financing, leasing, development and management, and secondary mortgage market transactions. Glascoff served as special assistant to the general counsel (1973-1974), and associate deputy general counsel (1974-1975) in the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was also an adjunct associate professor of law at Delaware Law School in 1974.

Top Brass
Kudos to the NMH Jazz Ensemble, which earned a silver award plaque (the highest honor) at a high school jazz festival competition February 26. The competition, sponsored by the International Association of Jazz Educators, was held at Westfield High School. Saxophonist Spencer Hattendorf ’08 received three awards: MVP for outstanding musicianship and soloist, a full scholarship to attend the UMass Jazz in July Summer Music Festival, and an outstanding soloist certificate. Stephen Berg ’09 received an outstanding soloist certificate and a partial scholarship to attend the UMass festival.

The NMH Jazz Ensemble was the highest-rated of six able ensembles and received the most awards, which earned it an invitation to attend the state finals on March 30 representing the Western Massachusetts Class A Division. This was the first time NMH has attended this competition under the direction of Ron Smith, director of band and jazz programs.

 

NMH Athletes Bounce to Great Colleges
Members of the NMH boys varsity basketball team finished the regular season with a nail-biter against Winchendon; the Hogger win (77-76) gave the team a record of 18-9 as league tournaments loom. Colleges are taking notice. Six team members have been courted by and have committed to fine colleges and universities across the country. Mike Marra ’09 has committed to the University of Louisville, Andrew Moore ’08 to Lafayette College, Andrew VanNest ’08 to Harvard University, Joshua Riddle ’08 and David Rufful ’08 to Dartmouth College, and Ted Eby ’08 to MIT. David and Josh will join Clive Weeden '07 at Dartmouth and Andrew VanNest will suit up with Dan McGeary '06 at Harvard. Go Hoggers!

 

Rowing for the Gold
Tessa Gobbo ’08 won a gold medal in the junior women rowing event at the CRASH-B Sprints, more formally known as the World Indoor Rowing Championships, February 24. This competition brings together more than a thousand competitors of all ages and from all over the world to see who can row the fastest 2,000 meters in each age group.

Winners of satellite races are brought to Boston to compete in this championship. Tessa was seeded third going in to the weekend, took the lead in the first 100 meters, rowed a perfect race, and held the first-place position for the entire race. She finished with a winning time of 6:56.5.

Conference Welcomes Latino Students
NMH will host the second annual Latino Conference March 1 and 2, bringing together Latino students from independent schools across the region. The conference, called Sí, Se Puede! (Yes, We Can!), will feature speakers Jorge Zeballos, a diversity consultant from Washington D.C. by way of Lima, Peru; headRush, a trio of educators from Oakland who use satire and comedy to convey their message; and Aya de León, a writer, performer, hip-hop artist and community activist.

 

Alumni of Color Reunite
Thirty-three alumni of color gathered on campus earlier this month for a first—but definitely not the last—Alumni of Color Reunion. Alumni attended classes, shared stories for the Northfield Mount Hermon History Project, participated in an admission presentation, and were guests at the Circle of Sisters gala dinner where model-dancer-actress Yaya DaCosta ’00 made a special appearance and children's-rights activist Kimmie Weeks ’01 was the presenter.