NFA The magazine for Norwich Free Academy Alumni and Friends
SECURING THE PAST A Childhood Dream with Global Impact
Summer 2016
Rising senior Beth Flemming ’17 pitched a perfect game against Bacon Academy on April 21, striking out all 15 batters she faced.
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Striding for Excellence
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A Childhood Dream with Global Impact
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Nurturing a Love of Bugs
Summer 2016
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NFA
UPCOMING Exhibitions at
Summer 2016
Meadow Life June 12 – August 5 Featuring artwork celebrating the region’s open land and green spaces by resident living Connecticut artists alongside drawings, pastels, watercolors and oil painting drawn from Slater’s exceptional holdings.
CT Women Artists 86th Annual National Open Juried Exhibition August 20 – September 23 Opening Reception: August 20, 1-3 p.m. CWA will present its 86th Annual Open Juried Exhibition featuring the work of talented women artists in Connecticut and across the country, showcasing original work in painting, mixed media, drawing, collage, printmaking, fiber art, photography and sculpture.
EDITORS Kathleen McCarthy Director of Institutional Advancement Geoffrey P. Serra Director of Communications & Public Affairs MANAGING/COPY EDITOR Molly Hudson ALMA MATTERS EDITOR Linda Clang Ververis ‘78 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Nicholas Bolt ‘96 PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Ambrose Photography Robb Cyr Photography John Hassett Photography Laura Howe Red Skies Photography DESIGN Lavender Design PRINTER The Pyne-Davidson Company
NFA magazine is produced two times a year by the NFA Foundation, Inc. and the NFA Office of Communications & Public Affairs, 321 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360. Phone 860-887-2507 • Fax 860-889-4363 Email: communications@nfaschool.org
Renaissance in Pastel October 7 – November 12 Opening Reception: October 23, 1-3 p.m. The prestigious annual national juried show of the Connecticut Pastel Society, whose national outreach and cultivation of art and artists working in the pastel medium promotes public interest and education in pastel art.
Letters to the editor, comments, class notes and address changes may be sent to the NFA Foundation, Inc. 321 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360 or alumni@nfaschool.org Views expressed in the NFA magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the NFA Foundation, Inc., the NFA Alumni Association, Norwich Free Academy or the editorial staff.
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he love of alumni and students for the Academy humbles and motivates all of us here every day; we cherish the trust you have placed in our hands. At the same time, we are intensely mindful of remaining relevant and of meeting the needs of all our students. Facing the challenge of relevance during changing times propels us forward. I ask you to keep this challenge in the forefront of your mind as you read this latest edition of NFA magazine. Norwich Free Academy’s long history tells the story of an institution willing and able to reinvent itself to remain relevant to serve students. Like our story of Dana Merise who began running as an NFA ninth-grader and hasn’t stopped since, NFA has run a 160-year race, and is still going strong. Leadership today, like that of the past, is focused upon sustaining the noble work of Dr. Gulliver and NFA’s founders well into the future. Since opening our doors in 1856, NFA has been on the cutting edge of change. As we move into the end of the second decade of the 21st century, this Academy continues to lead. From our campus security to our data team initiatives, NFA is forging new pathways. Alumni profiled in this issue, a national entomology expert and a global force seeking to stop the flow of money from stolen antiquities to fund terrorism, reveal to us that what we do here at the Academy is transformative for students and matters deeply. This school educates for the future, and tomorrow will be very different from yesterday, just as today is very different from when you strolled the campus under the magnificent pink canopy of cherry blossoms. Honoring tradition and successfully executing necessary transition. It is a very delicate balancing act – preparing students for the future while teaching them to respect the past -- and NFA does it better than any school I have known in my career, in part because we are courageous about confronting the need for change. From the beginning, it is the vision and courage of this institution that has brought us here; our job is to strategically guide NFA into the future. Enjoy this latest edition of NFA magazine, and while you read, remember the past and look confidently forward with us to the future.
David J. Klein Head of School
Campus AROUND Senator Blumenthal Discusses College
On Feb. 1, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal visited campus for a meeting with 12 students to discuss the college application process and affordability of college. With the cost of college being a burden for most, student loans have become a common method for financing an advanced education. Blumenthal stressed the importance of establishing new pathways regarding college affordability.
Congratulations, Class of 2016 Graduation exercises for the Class of 2016 welcomed 468 new members to NFA’s proud alumni family. On Class Night, President Natalie Grayson told her classmates, “High school has been a lot like the cherry blossoms. Growth and beauty, but for such a short time . . . No matter where in life you go, take what you have learned here and be the best that you can be.” “My hope is that we take with us what we have learned here and that we go on to make a difference in the world,” Class Speaker Benjamin Rust told his classmates. Ivy Orator Shandara Smith encouraged the class to “Spend time throughout your day, daydreaming, for daydreaming is nothing more than planning for what is to come with the sun in your face.”
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Olivia Pecoraro Named Poet Laureate Olivia Pecoraro ’17 was chosen NFA’s 2016 Poet Laureate from a pool of 15 Wildcat student poets who each submitted their three best poems for consideration in the annual poets laureate contest sponsored by the Arts Café in Mystic. English teacher Kim Roberts, adviser of NFA’s literary journal Writer’s Inc., oversees the annual selection process. Roberts say Pecoraro is “a great student and a great poet. She does performance poetry that uses creative wordplay, striking imagery and provocative themes.” Pecoraro, who lives in Canterbury, began experimenting with poetry when her grade 8 writing teacher suggested that she try. That year, she entered an American Library literary competition and was published. “For me, poetry is a piece of my soul, a way to convey who I am… messages and emotions,” says the rising12th-grader. “My process usually begins in my mind with a word or a phrase, and I build upon it.” As she looks to the future, the young poet plans to continue writing, enter more contests and publish.
For Olivia’s poetry, vist www.NFASchool.org/OliviaPecoraro
Region’s Art Teachers Learn at NFA NFA hosted LEARN’s regional professional development day for area art teachers, March 11. Approximately 60 local teachers gathered for tours of Slater Museum and viewed the 72nd Annual CT Juried Artists Exhibition. Teachers participated in two of four workshops: Zentangle, Observational Drawing, Technology in the Classroom and Gyotaku Printing. Alysha Zaneski Carmody ‘00, NFA’s visual & performing arts department head, and Jan Abrahamson from Westside Middle School coordinated the event.
NFA Foundation Awards Over $390,000 in Scholarships This year, students and graduates received over $390,000 in scholarships and awards from funds stewarded by the NFA Foundation, Inc. and generously provided by Norwich Free Academy’s alumni and friends. This figure does not include any governmental, corporate, or institutional financial aid or scholarships students receive. Among the students recognized was Felicity Wang, awarded the four-year Sidney Frank Memorial Scholarship, given every four years to a student attending a college or university recognized as one of the nation’s most selective institutions. Wang, pictured calling home to share the good news, will attend Brown University to major in economics. She plans a career as a public defense attorney. Sidney Frank ‘38 was accepted to Brown University, but family finances forced him to leave after his first semester. After becoming a global entrepreneur and marketing genius, he endowed this scholarship so that a qualified NFA student would receive a four-year degree without suffering economic hardship or being forced to withdraw from studies. Wang, a member of the National, Science and Chinese Honor societies, is an award winning pianist, a Backus Hospital volunteer, and a unified athlete. She has held a part time job during her four years of high school while maintaining highest honors grades. Describing herself as a “first generation student,” Wang is the child of non-native speakers; her first language was not English. She says that school had “always been more than just a place for learning. It was a place for opportunity.” Summer 2016
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Striding ƒor excellence W
ith her eye upon the famous Houston Ultra Marathon, for 10 months Dana Merise ‘03 trained by running from her home in Groton until she felt it was time to turn around to head back. First introduced to running as a student, NFA Intervention Specialist Merise competed in the Houston Running Festival’s Ultra Marathon, a 50mile race, last December. She finished first in the women’s division, and third overall. The Houston Festival is on a flat course in Bear Creek Park. It features a 100 miles ultra road run, a 100K ultra road run, a 50 mile ultra road run, and a 50K ultra road run. The race is capped at 200 participants. Merise chose to run the 50 mile ultra road run. On Thursday, Dec. 17, she planned to fly to Houston for the Saturday race, Dec. 19. But with flight delays and cancellations, she didn’t arrive at her Houston hotel until 7 p.m., Friday night, just 10 hours before she needed to wake up for the 7:15 a.m. race. “When I finished, I couldn’t believe that I ran 50 miles,” she says. “To this day it’s still surreal.” “I ran this race as if it would be my last; I gave it my all, and I cheered on the other runners even though I was tired,” said Merise of her 10 hour, 14 minute feat. “At mile 24, I was done, but the scorer told me I could win.” As a student, Merise wanted to play soccer but missed tryouts. Running was the only sport with an open spot. “When I started, I was second to last on the team, but then I started winning medals – and winning feels good,” she says. Today, Merise is the assistant coach for NFA’s Girls Outdoor Track team. “Running at NFA taught me how to be a team player and how to set goals. Running here helped
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me realize anything is possible if you work hard,” she says. “I love working with the kids who really want to do well, kids who push themselves. I love watching them set a goal and seeing the look on their faces when they accomplish it.” During graduate school, Merise competed in the West Palm Beach Marathon finishing in 4 hours, 27 minutes and the Lehigh Valley Health Marathon, finishing in 3 hours, 25 minutes. Both were 26.2 mile races and practice for the Boston Marathon. Merise qualified for the 2015 Boston Marathon. She finished the Boston Marathon with a personal best time of 3 hours, 24 minutes; she set a new goal.
“After the Boston Marathon, I knew my next race was going to be a long distance,” she said. “But I was scared because you hear stories of runners dying in these things.” These days Merise, a Central Connecticut State University graduate, with her characteristic perseverance, commitment and luminous smile, is planning to begin a second degree in counseling at Manhattan College. “I know it’s going to be tough; it’ll be much different from here, and the commute will be challenging. It’s a big change, and I was afraid to start over, but I think you never know until you try.” And, she’s started training again. “My goal for my next race is to finish the half-marathon in 1 hour, 30 minutes and the full race in 3 hours, 20 minutes.” A longer race? “I don’t know how it will go if I do a 100 miler,” she says, her smile as broad as the horizon. “I’ll need a new route with a good view because I’ll have to double my training.”
Grabarek Family
CORN MAZE 10
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By Evan Bilda ‘11 Preston Farms is a family run award-winning dairy farm with 100 head of Registered Holstein cattle, located in Preston, Connecticut. But, for the past 17 years, the farm’s main attraction is its seven-acre annual corn maze. Jerry Grabarek ‘69 has been milking cows and running the farm, which consistently wins the highest quality milk award, for 44 years. The 93-year-old farm was opened by Jerry’s grandfather, an immigrant from Poland who sent his children to NFA - the first, Jenny Grabarek Melgey, graduating in 1939. Jerry, his wife Deborah Burke Grabarek ‘69, and son Matthew ‘10 operate the farm today. The family fell in love with the idea of creating a corn maze after visiting one in Pennsylvania, determined to do all the work themselves rather than hiring a company to turn their field into a giant puzzle. Each year after debating themes, the Grabareks hand draw the maze’s route on a grid, plant the field and start cutting the path when the corn is about ankle high.
This year’s maze, called AREA 51, features aliens and is set to open Labor Day Weekend. For more information please visit www.PrestonFarmsCornMaze.com.
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“Student achievement will change when we change,” says the lecturer.
collectively, teacher teams can achieve results that far surpass individual efforts.
Seventy-five teachers huddle in groups, attentive and engaged. Eyes move from projector screen to the man lecturing, working the crowd from one end of the room to the other, covering territory and material.
Wasta initiatives are multiyear undertakings; they are schoolwide commitments to usher in change successfully. NFA’s Leadership Team had several meetings and discussions with the author before committing to work with him long term.
Teachers nod, some vigorously, some cautiously.
Two different levels operate in tandem: a School Data Team (SDT) of administrators, department heads, directors, and teachers oversees the entire process, and Individual Data Teams (IDTs) of teachers and others apply the lessons of data to adjust practice at the classroom level.
“If we want to improve student performance, we need to ask ourselves, ‘what will we do differently? What will WE do differently to improve performance?’” The message is about significant instructional change at the classroom level. The road to such change is hard and collaborative. “Working together, we can make this happen if we study the data, pool our efforts and adjust our practice,” he says. In February 2015, members of NFA’s Leadership Team (administrators, department heads and program directors) read Harnessing the Power of Teacher Teams by Michael J. Wasta, Ph.D., one of the most well respected educators and consultants in Connecticut, perhaps New England. His book describes a process by which groups of teachers can improve student achievement. Wasta trains teams of teachers to make instructional decisions based upon student performance data. Teachers target the skills and content which students need to learn, practice, refine and master at all levels. Wasta’s intent is to help teachers produce stunning gains to close achievement gaps and improve overall student performance. Working
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At the outset, the School Data Team spent about six months adopting performance indicators to define an NFA graduate. “It’s a fair question to ask,” says Head of School David Klein, “What does an NFA diploma mean? And, how are we going to measure that meaning?” The group developed performance indicators in 12 categories including academics, problemsolving, communication, collaboration and digital citizenship. The group categorized them under two overarching areas – College and Career Readiness, and Citizenship and Community Connection. After opportunities for faculty and staff participation and input, the SDT produced an outstanding document. Last year when the State Department of Education published achievement indicators for secondary schools to adopt statewide, after a few minor alterations and revisions, NFA’s work was in compliance with state requirements. “It was outstanding, professional work,” says Wasta, “some of the best I have seen.”
Once the indicators were developed, and it was determined how best to measure each one, work began at the IDT level. IDTs, who identified a problem and committed to a process of data collection and collaboration, had time together to work toward solutions. One example is a team formed to improve composition in 10th-grade required Global Studies. “We wanted our students to write persuasively, taking a clear position about important topics like ‘Should Voting be Mandatory?’ or ‘Is the United Nations Still Relevant?,’” says social studies teacher Laura Binder, who teamed with colleagues Kelly Gillette and
Another IDT was formed of ninth-grade guidance counselors Anne Marie Larkin, Kathleen Machnik, and Lyndsie Sumner with Guidance Department Head Jessica St. George. School social worker Brooke Leone and school psychologist Deb Spera joined the team as did Sachem Campus counselor December Heffernan and guidance intern Kasimu Fletcher. “We had a common goal to create a ninth-grade guidance curriculum to address social and emotional development,” says St. George. The group developed a series of lessons for counselors to present in all ninth-grade classes. “Students need to learn how high school works,” says St. George.
– Mike Wasta Matt Gitkind, and special education teacher Eric Page. Student teacher William Seddon joined the group. Social Studies Department Head Karen Cyr Cook ‘89 participated peripherally. “There’s no doubt we were asking students to think critically and synthesize complex material,” says Binder, “but we collected baseline data, developed a rubric, and established an instructional improvement plan for ourselves.” “The level of institutional support we were given in this project was critical,” Binder says. “We were able to team our efforts and we each brought a different point of view, different skills and strengths to the table. We also brought an honest desire to improve our students’ performance.” Although the details of the project are important, the process is more so. “Because we were doing this together, we were able to do so much more collectively. We changed our practice; as a result, the students became more confident and the level and quality of their work improved,” she continues. “Even more interesting is that the students didn’t realize the evolution of the process on our end. I think that is important. While we were helping one another, our students were truly benefiting. On both sides of the desk, there was growth and change.”
“We needed to teach them about our Naviance system, have them take and use interest inventories, and do some work with them on mindset. In addition, students needed to understand earlier and more clearly about high school credits, graduation requirements and transcripts.” The group based lesson content on an initial survey. “What do students know; what do they need to learn? The survey even helped us sequence and pace instruction and topics, so that students were learning material at optimal times. We wanted 80 percent of our students to meet benchmarks on post-testing.” The team reviewed the target points which students did not meet, and together adjusted delivery and instruction. “This was a great process for our department with good outcomes for students,” says St. George. “It gave us time to comb through the data and to be guided to make effective instructional decisions; we changed our practice to improve student learning.” Never an institution to rest on its laurels, NFA has a 160-year history of seeking excellence, often by significantly reinventing itself to remain relevant to students and community. The recent dedicated, hard work of NFA faculty and staff demonstrates that same spirit, sustaining the Academy and carrying its mission far into the future.
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Our job is to facilitate change, to help teachers have all the information they need and to put the power of solutions into their hands. – Stephani Jones and Kristin Peckrul
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leadersmatter S
hattuck House Principal and former Mathematics Department Head Kristin Peckrul and Science Department Head Stephani Jones, represent the current direction of educational leaders – those guided by data to make decisions to improve instruction and student achievement, and those working to change teaching and learning in collaborative ways.
become reflective about how and what they are doing.” Jones speaks of a “change in mindset” -- of after examining instruction and student performance, the challenge of following data when it leads in new and different directions.
It is a national trend, and one which has taken hold at NFA, in part, because of the strong leadership of these two women.
“We want students and parents to know that we are continuously improving,” says Peckrul. “We care enough about our students to do so.” Jones continues, “We all have to learn to teach one another as professionals -- as organizers, coordinators and partners.”
Both women light up when they talk about numbers, information and data. “We’re selfproclaimed data geeks,” Peckrul proudly states, smiling broadly.
Both women agree that leadership requires patience and objectivity. “Our goal,” says Jones, “is to improve performance for all students, every one, at every level of ability.”
“We become really excited because we know the power of data to help us improve instruction for every student,” Jones remarks.
Peckrul enthusiastically agrees, “We need to join forces to do better for all so that all do better.
One thing is for sure, as leaders of NFA’s School Data Team, Peckrul and Jones are having a strong impact on teaching and learning at NFA – an impact that will be felt for years to come. Their shared leadership represents the essential collaborative process of today’s teaching profession.
“Our job is to facilitate change, to help teachers have all the information they need and to put the power of solutions into their hands.” Both leaders talk about changes already in the wind – honors courses in ninth grade, a new schedule to increase instructional time, and others.
“The best thing about this,” says Jones “is working together.” Peckrul agrees, noting that earlier committee work together established a very easy working relationship.
“We have spent almost two years creating the infrastructure for change” Jones says. “Now we are very close to the point where small groups of teachers (Instructional Data Teams or IDTs) will do the work to drive it forward.” Peckrul nods, “This will be on-going.”
“Once you begin to use data to drive instruction,” Peckrul says “it becomes a trust-building exercise to help teachers
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SECURING THE PAST
A Childhood Dream with Global Impact
As a student at NFA, Brent Easter ’98 was captain of the swim team, a pianist, and a history buff with a quick wit and engaging smile. Today, Easter is a special agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) where he investigates international crimes involving cultural property, art and antiquities.
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Combine a student with passion and a dream with a teacher’s encouragement and anything is achievable. Easter is the son of Mark (Bufithis) ‘69, and Bonnie, a teacher at Huntington School in Norwich. Throughout his school years, he had a dream – to be Indiana Jones, searching for lost artifacts and returning them to their rightful owners. He watched every movie – from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; he dressed like the character every Halloween. Though it seemed like his dream was fixed, Easter is emphatic that his high school experience helped him develop both a context and path for his goal. “I had a great time at NFA. There were so many options; NFA gave me the opportunity to dabble in lots of stuff to find out what I’d really like to be.” Though he had never been a competitive swimmer, when he came to NFA Easter joined the swim team, a glimpse into the bold ventures which have become his forte. The measure also exposed him to the influences of opportunities and people for which NFA is noted. Coach Tom Theve ‘68 fostered a family like atmosphere on the team, and Easter flourished. “When you’re with a group of people for four years, for three-four months out of the year, they have a huge impact on you,” he recalls. Another individual who had a lasting effect on Easter was his 11th grade AP U.S. History teacher, Reggie Levanto ‘68, pictured right. “Before Miss Levanto, whenever I told anyone of my dream to be Indiana Jones, they’d say ‘you can’t do that.’ I would sit in class and come up with things to do, and she would say, ‘Well, Brent, if anyone could do that, I believe it would be you.’” More than providing encouragement, though, Levanto pushed Easter to be a critical thinker. Levanto says, “Brent Easter was a dedicated, hardworking student in my third year AP U.S. History class. That describes most kids in any AP class, but Brent was different. His zany sense of humor lightened up any tense discussion and was guaranteed to send me into gales of laughter. Most people took his goal of being the next Indiana Jones as just another joke, but I knew the real Brent and knew he would find his way.”
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She challenged Easter to think about how he would execute his seemingly impossible plans and why. “Mrs. Levanto taught me that if I thought things through, I could figure them out,” says Easter. “I thought that if she believed in me, I could believe in myself.” Easter, who thinks of Levanto as a second mother, reflects, “She taught me that if you think a dream through, you can pursue it.”
Pursuing the dream After graduating from Norwich Free Academy in 1998, Easter went to Brandeis University. He recalls that he was “so well prepared coming out of NFA, there was no real transition to college.” He joined the Brandeis swim team, where he met his future wife. Having taken time to think his dream through, as Mrs. Levanto had recommended, he decided to become an educator or work for the federal government. He began his studies at Brandeis to become an archaeology or anthropology professor – much like the fictional Dr. Jones.
Then he came across an article about the work of U.S. Customs Agents. The article changed his life – he had found his “how.� Easter applied to become a Customs Agent, a process that took three years to complete. While his application was in process, he took a job with the U.S. Border Patrol in 2002. As it was the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, he wanted to begin work in service of the country as soon as possible. It was a time of transition in agency organization; the Department of Homeland Security was established in November 2002, and, under its umbrella, the U.S. Customs Service was replaced by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to target smuggling and trafficking of goods and people.
Photo taken at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Credit: Honolulu Museum of Art / Shuzo Eumoto
Easter joined ICE in 2004 as a special agent based in New York, initially investigating financial crimes and money laundering. Through persistence, he discovered who among his colleagues was focused on cultural property work. At that time only a few agents were engaged in this work part-time. Easter set his sights on using his anthropology and archeology background and helped during his off hours until he was finally reassigned to work full time on cultural property investigations. He had created his own niche through perseverance and hard work. Today, these investigations are under the purview of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and its Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities division. Since 2007, HSI is responsible for returning more than 8,000 artifacts to 30 countries around the world.
Hidden Idol Cultural property is defined as physical items that are part of the cultural heritage of a group or society, including works of art; historic and ancient buildings and their ruins; archaeological sites and artifacts; and sacred items. HSI investigators track stolen cultural property, uncover false provenance, focus upon identifying smuggled artifacts, determine their value and true ownership, and confiscate and return the items to their countries of origin. Trade in stolen and smuggled cultural property is linked to terrorist groups, and provides a revenue stream to fund their activities. Easter was the subject of a documentary, released in December 2015, entitled “Hidden Idols,” filmed by fellow Brandeis alumnus and friend Jason Kohn, and produced by ESPN Films FiveThirtyEight productions. The documentary tracks the sale of antiquities, tracing sacred artifacts stolen from a village in India to a store on Madison Avenue in New York City owned by Subhash Kapoor. Included in the long term investigation known as Operation Hidden Idol, the inquiry resulted in the downfall of Kapoor, whose smuggling ring robbed antiquities from temples and holy places in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today, Kapoor is awaiting trial in India, and the stolen antiquities have been returned to their country of origin. During the raid of Kapoor’s gallery, authorities seized business records that revealed a network of looters and smugglers across Asia whose objects had been sold to museums and collectors around the globe. New York City is a major hub for illicit cultural property trade. In March of this year, Easter was involved in the widely-reported raid of the Nancy Weiner Gallery in New York City in a high-profile crackdown on illicit trade in ancient Asian art during Asia Week. Confiscated were a first century red sandstone Kushan relief valued at $100,000, an eighth century limestone sculpture of Shiva and Parvati valued at $35,000, and a tenth century bronze Buddha from Thailand or Cambodia valued at $850,000. Easter has gained international recognition for his work, speaking to educational groups about the illicit cultural property trade. In April, he addressed the Protecting Cultural Heritage Initiative at the United Nations. “This is an international problem of great proportion,” he said.
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His purpose at the United Nations was to raise awareness of the “good guys” to protect cultural heritage from the looting of “the bad guys.” His work, however, has not only strengthened opposition to such activity, but has put him in danger. He has caught the attention of criminals and those who benefit from and are funded by this activity. On April 29, Easter returned to Norwich Free Academy to speak with students and address the Friends of Slater Memorial Museum. During an afternoon assembly, students filled Slater Auditorium to hear Easter. They were rapt with this man, telling the details of his journey from NFA student to federal agent. They asked deeply thoughtful questions both about his work and his NFA experience. “Take advantage of every opportunity while you are here,” Easter advised them. Easter feels that there is much more that he can do. One of his major accomplishments thus far will help. He and his associates have created a huge database of stolen antiquities. It will help to identify illicit pathways; identify, seize and repatriate stolen objects; and investigate and prosecute the offenders. Easter will also push forward to connect major organizations and transitional smugglers to other organized crime, and develop successful conspiracy cases against them. Easter, the father of three, still loves Indiana Jones. Each Halloween he continues to dress in the iconic brown hat and jacket, now joined by his children in matching costumes. He confessed, with a grin that he recently showed Raiders of the Lost Ark to his young son for the first time.
View documentaries and articles about Brenton Easter at www.nfaschool.org/brentoneaster
Nurturing a Love of
Bugs
Lou Sorkin ‘71 is a scientist in the truest sense. His interest in his field is deep and broad; his passion to share his knowledge is infectious. Within seconds of meeting him, even the most insect phobic is drawn in, interested, perhaps even willing to become the terrain of an insect’s journey of discovery. Sorkin is also a profoundly dedicated teacher. Five minutes of conversation with him yields a trove of information that is the essence of his field. He loves sharing entomology.
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issing cockroaches, horned tobacco worms, African millipedes, a female orchid manta, enormous tarantulas, and a colony of bed bugs are just some of the creatures in and nearby the office of Lou Sorkin, an engaging guy with bright eyes and a winning smile. Since 1978, Sorkin has been one of the over 200 scientists who work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. His expertise is insects; he’s an entomologist with a specialty in spiders, and part of his daily work at the Museum involves analysis of spiders brought in for identification. After determining the type of spider,
he labels specimens and enters them into the collection. In 1989, someone dropped off a specimen that ended up being a bed bug, beginning a journey of discovery that led Sorkin to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on bed bugs. His advice is sought by public health officials in response to the many bed bug infestations in New York City and beyond. Sorkin’s interest in insects and arachnids began in childhood, when he collected butterflies, bees, and other insects and also frogs, snakes and turtles. “I had a great
love of all living creatures,” Sorkin reflected. Sorkin spent his youth in Port Chester, New York, and moved to Norwich when he was 12. During his time at NFA, Sorkin was a member of the Science, Biology and French Clubs and fondly remembers his physics and science teachers. After graduation, he began in the pre-med program at University of Connecticut, working during that time for the animal hospital in Bozrah. His path veered from medicine to arachnology/ entomology after a professor introduced him to the field.
“I didn’t even realize my interest in insects,” he said in a recent interview in New York, “until I did summer project and field work for a UConn professor after my freshman year. Then I realized there was really a lifetime of study here.” He completed his master’s degree from UConn and began working at the Museum of Natural History. Beyond the identification of spiders, Sorkin mentors high school students working with the collection and participates in the Museum’s educational programs. A forensic entomologist, Sorkin has assisted in the analysis of structural insect invasions, presented to the New York medical examiner’s office, and taught homicide detectives about what they can learn from insects at crime scenes. He has provided advice on homicide cases, using information from insects to estimate time of death. Sorkin believes it is important for criminal detectives to know about how insects can impact a crime scene. “One case,” he shared, “involved the examination of blood splatter” thought to be the result of the execution of a homicide. After analysis, however, it was determined that “the blood was from roach droppings.” Roaches had ingested and eliminated the murder victim’s blood, creating a pattern on a wall that imitated splatter, a pattern which, without the expertise of a forensic entomologist, could have been misinterpreted evidence in a criminal investigation. Since his first encounter with the bed bugs, Sorkin has kept and maintained his own colonies for scientific study and educational purposes. They live in jars in his office and he cares for them well – allowing them to feed upon his own blood. About once a month
he inverts the jar and allows them to feed through screening on top. Inspired by the advances in genome research, Sorkin is investigating whether human DNA can be tracked in insects. After years of feeding his bed bug colonies, he hopes to find traces of his DNA in them. His DNA will have become part of the genetic material of the insects themselves. It is an intriguing possibility. “It could help in the identification of perpetrators at the time of a crime,” Sorkin explained about the application of the research. Another notable area of Sorkin’s portfolio of entomological know-
ledge and skill is his comprehensive knowledge of entomophagy, or eating insects as food. He is an expert, and frequently ingests insects while teaching groups of school children who visit the museum or whose classes he visits in his active educational outreach efforts. Much to the delight and dismay of middle schoolers, Lou will quip, “this one tastes just like Fritos, and this one is a bit crunchy and salty.” Again, his knowledge is extensive as he jumps from culture to culture and practice to practice expounding upon the nutritional benefits of eating insects. “They’re mostly protein,” he says with a smile.
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youmatter Your support of the NFA Fund helps provide Norwich Free Academy students with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom, on the field, in the studio and in the future.
www.NFASchool.org/Giving
WILDCAT OPEN Sunday, October 16, 2016
FALL ADULT
ART CLASSES
Learn more & register at
www.NFASchool.org/WildcatOpen
Pottery Metal/Jewelry Making Digital Photography Portrait Drawing Acrylic Painting Watercolor Painting
View all details & register at
www.NFASchool.org/FallArt
NEW AT These “odd” three-cornered or “roundabout” chairs have a long history with Elizabethean, Asian, and Dutch roots. Some, like this one, were made as commode or “necessary” chairs. Many believe these chairs were for men wearing swords, but no research proves this claim. Roomy and comfortable, the design uses space well, provides structural integrity, and offers sturdy support. Recently acquired by Slater, the chair was owned by the Butts family of Canterbury. It is the work of local 18th c. furniture maker Felix Huntington. Of solid cherry in Rocco style, it has batten-like back slats and a handupholstered cushion most likely fashioned by Felix’s cousin, Jonathan. Huntington’s bold and skillful design and craftsmanship – his engineering sense, and eye for fancy – easily identify his work. His shop produced stands, tables, looking glasses, sideboards, fire screens, even pitch pipes, but chests of drawers were his major product. Felix and Jonathan were cousins to Samuel Huntington, the First President of the United States under the Articles of Confederacy. By marriage the Huntingtons were connected to the Devotions and the Trumbulls. Political leadership in Southeastern Connecticut overlapped with religious, social, and educational influences, and found expression in the arts, furniture and home goods, architecture and industry. Slater’s Norwich collection tells the story of resourceful, talented, and artistic people. The tales witness history and establish context to understand and appreciate the unique nature of NFA. Summer 2016
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ALMA 39
Gussie Paster Sitkin resides in California with her husband of 71 years, Joe. Gussie is a part-time Marriage & Family Therapist. Mariea Dohery Spencer’s note in the Fall 2015 NFA magazine mentioned the lack of news for the Class of 1939 and incited Gussie to submit her update.
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Anne Pisarko Mahalawich hoped to see many of her classmates at the upcoming Jubilee Reunion. Estelle Raymond Lussier has lived on Cape Cod since 2000 and enjoys its slow pace of life. Ed Rogalski recently donated an 1898 Belgian Mauser rifle with bayonet and carrying case to Slater Memorial Museum. The rifle and the bayonet are both marked “Hopkins and Allen Arms Co. Norwich.”
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David (Snapper) Farnham recalls a favorite NFA memory of performing as an endman in the N Club minstrel with Buzz Pierson ’49, Hank Congdon ‘50, and Charlie Witt ’49. Snapper and his wife, a native Austrian, have been married 57 years. Together they have visited Austria about 15 times.
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Matters
Gerald and Eleanor Spencer McKeon ’52 write that they had a good time at the Jubilee Reunion. They have been married for 63 years.
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Phyllis Andersen Papp writes that her daughter Carol Papp Maher ’71 and husband George Maher ’69 have retired to Sunset Beach, North Carolina. Her son, Commandant Robert Papp, Jr. ’70 retired from the Coast Guard after 39 years of service and is now leading the effort to advance U.S. interests in the Arctic Region as the State Department’s Special Representative.
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Nelson Disco and his wife Carolyn recently moved to Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Bob Haiman was a member of an international expedition to the North Pole on a nuclear powered Russian icebreaker. A retired newspaper editor, Bob now lives in New York City, Washington, DC, and St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been to 153 countries and says his next adventure trip will be to Iraq and Afghanistan!
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Hal Buckley sends kudos to the Class of 1955 committee for organizing their class reunion. He said an excellent job was done and it was much appreciated.
Ron Bergman had been a United Methodist Church pastor for 42 years when he retired in 2003. Since then he has been a chaplain at a retirement home in Wilmington, Delaware.
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Emelie Legare Phillips, after college, began teaching in Tappahannock, Virginia, at a girls boarding school and immediately loved teaching. She married in 1962 and had two daughters, Julie and Sara. She now resides in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is enjoying retirement. MaryJane Connell Fusco retired from her job as head circulation clerk at the Katonah Village Library in Katonah, New York, after twenty years of service.
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Kathleen Driscoll Amatangelo and family celebrated the marriage of her daughter, Holly, to William Kissane, November 7, 2015, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompii in Chicago, Illinois.
Charles (Chuck) Burdick, Jr. has been living in and loving Duck, North Carolina, for the past 15 years. His youngest daughter graduated summa cum laude from Mars Hill University with a BS in Biology. Chuck is a contract postmaster for Duck and was elected to his 4th term on the Duck Town Council.
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Sue Hamill Connolly and her husband Ed have almost achieved a bucketlist goal of visiting every continent. Only Antarctica remains.
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Jeanne Coleman Mullendore retired from teaching art and is glad to be doing her own art. Her mixed media collages have been in several invitational and juried exhibitions. Jeanne and her realtor husband, Steven, like to travel – most recently to South Africa. Their son and his wife live in Vermont. Their daughter and her husband live in North Dakota.
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Thomas Perra recently completed the curriculum required to attain the highly-acclaimed Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI) designation.
Paul Field currently competes in live trivia contests around Kitsap County, Washington. Paul officiates amateur/ professional boxing, and in 2015 he worked his 6,000th bout.
Andrea Kaplan Lieberman and her husband, Dr. Michael Lieberman, celebrated the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson in Israel in August 2015.
Ray Standish and his wife Maureen are retired health care workers living in Stafford Springs, CT, and in Sheepscot Lake, Palermo, Maine, in the warmer months.
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Jean-Pierre and Lyne Fauteux Grillo ’72 celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on May 15.
HECTOR RICHARDS ‘54
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Kathryn Hilton Martin and her husband, Dr. Alain Martin, recently vacationed to the French Riviera. She writes that it is quite interesting that during the school day children go to the cove and each has his/her own boat to learn sailing. They rented a villa surrounded by lavender gardens and 1,000 year old olive trees.
Colleen McPadden Durga and her husband Frances celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Hawaii on January 27.
AS SEEN ON SHARK TANK Hector Richards ‘54 recently appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank. Richards is a member of the Purlette’s + 1and employed by Sarah Oliver of Sarah Oliver Handbags. Oliver struck a deal with the sharks for her company specializing in hand knit bags. The Purlette’s + 1, a team of knitters whose average age is 88, are the backbone of the company. The name comes from their “knit one, purl two” expertise and the + 1 represents the lone male member, Richards. As a mission-driven company, Sarah Oliver Handbags is leading a movement to re-engage seniors in the American economy and empower them with a new found sense of purpose and passion.
Roger Martin is currently studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He is an advanced student and had the honor of traveling to China in May to work with students and educators at the University of Shanghai. Susan Lavoie McElaney published her debut novel, Me, Myself and Ivy in the summer of 2015. It was written and recommended for young adult readers, ages 10-16. The story tells of a 12-year-old girl who is uprooted by an unspeakable family tragedy, and while attempting to cope with her grief and loss, must also find a way to fit in and overcome the heartbreak and terror of bullying at her new school.
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Thomas Coletti coauthored A Journey to the Gallows with Norwich resident Vic Butsch. It is a story about Norwich abolitionist Aaron Dwight Stevens. Walter Thoma retired after more than 37 years as a Vice President of Nuclear Operation for Securitas Critical Infrastructure Services. He is a USAF Vietnam Veteran and holds a BA degree from Connecticut College. He and his wife Sandy are the proud parents of 6 children and 11 grandchildren. Summer 2016
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EAST COAST
REUNION News
Florida was adorned with Red & White in February, as alumni gathered at reunions on both coasts of the state. Bob ’68 & Nancy Buckley Parzych ‘66 hosted the West Coast event at Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club on February 22. Alumni and guests enjoyed the afternoon reminiscing about their days at NFA, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. On February 24, the East Coast reunion returned to Benvenuto Restaurant in Boynton Beach after a 3-year hiatus. Alumni and
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Dennis McNary and his wife Donna are officially retired from trucking after 40 years and live in St. Augustine, Florida.
A 1971 class ring was found and was returned to Alumni House with hopes of reuniting it with its rightful owner. If you lost your ring please contact us to confirm ownership.
Mike Morosky has been elected Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Mike lives in Glastonbury with his wife, Judy, and children Mikala and Cameron.
Several members from the class celebrated their 60th birthdays in Sarasota, Florida, in October 2015.
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Rhode Island, as the Managing Editor of the NWC Press. He resides in Ledyard. He and his wife have three daughters living in MN, NC, and TN, and two granddaughters. He continues to be grateful for the fine education he received at NFA; and writes, “it has stood me in good stead. Thanks for all you do.”
Geoffrey Ellis Aronson has completed 10 years of teaching ESL in Mexico. For 7 years prior to that, he taught photography and graphic design at the American Intercontinental University in Atlanta.
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Robert Lord, with his wife Mary, retired to their Brandon, Vermont, farm after umpteen years in the laboratory of the University of Vermont Medical Center.
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Debbie Vuono-Burke has 4 grandchildren, the oldest attending Eastern Connecticut State University. She continues to work at a part-time job and is enjoying life with her family.
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Rob Ayer retired from the Coast Guard after 36 years of service in January 2011 and then worked in Virginia and Maryland as a civilian employee editor for the Department of Defense and the Food and Drug Administration. In October 2015 he began a new job working at the Naval War College in Newport,
Kevin Generous successfully defended his doctoral dissertation and earned a Ph.D. in Political Science (International Relations/ American Politics) from the University of Connecticut.
WEST COAST
HELEN BEHN ‘96
guests reconnected with one another and appreciated the efforts by the Academy and NFA Foundation to ensure that the reunion was reestablished. Alumni who live, or plan to be, in Florida during February 2017, should contact the NFA Foundation’s Alumni Office if they did not receive an invitation to this event and would like to attend next year. If anyone is interested in assisting with the planning of the 2017 East Coast reunion, please contact Linda Ververis at 860-425-5542 or email alumni@nfaschool.org.
Entrepreneur Helen Behn ’96, started her company Spand-Ice after suffering from chronic back pain for several years. Teamed with medical advisors and retail experts, Behn set out to create convenient clothing to relieve back pain. The Revive Tank and Recovery Wrap have “made relieving back pain as simple as putting on a t shirt.” The patent-pending design is recommended by doctors and credited to help reduce pain and decrease recovery time.
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Concetta Colonna Franchetti celebrated her 25th year at Pendleton Health and Rehabilitation Center in Mystic. She was one of the first employees hired when Pendleton opened its doors in 1991.
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Karen McMahon writes that she lost her husband, Lee, of 27 years on October 8, 2015, after a 9-year battle with cancer. They were married in Norwich in October 1988 and lived in CA, where she resides today with daughters Alissa and Austin. Karen Pilecki Neeley joined the NFA Foundation team in December 2015. She has been an active community member since she returned to Norwich in 1998 when she purchased a home from former NFA Maintenance Director, Herman Tedeschi.
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A 1985 class ring was found and was returned to Alumni House with hopes of reuniting it with its rightful owner. If you lost your ring please contact us to confirm ownership.
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Scott Tao LaBossiere was commissioned by Still Hill Brewery in Rocky Hill, CT, to paint a trompe l’oeil mural in their tasting room.
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Jared Dillian’s second book, his debut novel, All The Evil Of This World, was published this summer. It tells the story of seven people whose lives collide in a single options trade that takes place in March, 2000--at the top of the dot com stock market bubble. In addition to writing own newsletter, Dillian also now writes for Mauldin Economics, contributes to Forbes, and continues to make a number of media appearances related to his investment research work.
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Abby Demars started a new job in July 2015 as Principal of St. Mary-St. Joseph School in Willimantic. Molly Burnett is working as a Neurologist in Oakland, California. She and her husband are expecting their third child. They love the Bay area but miss their family and friends in Connecticut. Summer 2016
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Vanessa Kirsipuu Schumacher began working for Roche in Basel, Switzerland, in September 2015, and has led a Discovery Pathology Laboratory focusing on Digital Pathology since February. She keeps busy with her daughters, ages 4 and 7, and with marathon/triathlon training. In their free time, they love to travel throughout Europe.
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Jonathan Soto is a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40, a professional organization comprised of America’s top young trial attorneys. Jonathan practices Personal Injury Law in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Krystle Agans is currently working with Dr. Tom Geisbert’s lab on Ebola and other emerging infectious diseases at the Galveston National Laboratory located on the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston campus.
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Jared Madere recently had his first solo exhibition at The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. The installation was on display in the
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John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Gallery from October 16 - January 3, 2016. Madere primarily creates installation-based works featuring disparate materials such as salt, flowers, foodstuffs, and plastic tarps that are assembled and aggregated in a manner that insists on their material connections to society, economics, industry, and human emotion. His works have also been featured at David Lewis, New York; Bortolami Gallery, New York; Michael Thibault Gallery, Los Angeles; Croy Nielsen, Berlin; and Le Magasin, Grenoble, France.
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Kerri Johnson and Ryan Pellegrini ‘07 were engaged on September 19, 2015. They plan a May 13, 2017, wedding at Harkness Memorial State Park.
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Ryan Guertin and Ashley Volpe were married on October 24, 2015. Ryan is the son of Karen Eyberse ‘80 and Todd Guertin. Ryan is a Physical Educator and Health teacher, grades K-12, at a private school in Bethlehem, Connecticut. He graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelor’s degree in
Physical Education and Health and Wellness Studies. They reside in Cromwell, CT.
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Peter and Melody Pothier Fabian write that after being married in December 2012, they spent a few years in California. They are now back on the East Coast. Peter teaches Spanish at Plymouth North High School in Plymouth, Massachusetts and Melody is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. Andres Santiago, who now resides in North Carolina, writes that he was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to Norwich as a 15 year old
in 2005. He is currently stationed in Fort Bragg as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, which he joined in 2009. He has been deployed twice; first to Haiti for Operation Unified Response and to Iraq for Operation New Dawn. He is married and has a son named Jionni. He plans to make the military his career and will retire after serving for 20 years. He writes that he misses NFA very much and can’t wait to visit soon. Courtney Smigiel graduated from Bentley University and now works as a marketing specialist for Evariant in Farmington, CT. She qualified to run in the 120th Boston Marathon on April 18. Courtney has completed two full marathons one in San Diego, California, and one in the Bay of Fundy in Canada and decided to do it again, because she can, and because there are so many people who have been stricken with life altering diseases like cancer who can’t. In the years since her dad’s diagnosis with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2006, her family has found hope as her dad is a cancer survivor and is the inspiration for her to run in this year’s Boston Marathon. Courtney is the granddaughter of Robert ‘50 and Stella Fasolino Smigiel ’53.
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Meghan Meyerhoff was recently in a juried show for emerging artists at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. The show was called New Waves, and ran from January 29 – April 17. Below is a photo her accepted work.
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Khadejeh Al-Rijleh attends Smith College and is majoring in Medieval Studies. She recently traveled abroad for school to Jordan and Lebanon. In this photo she is at Kerak Castle, a large crusader castle, located in Kerak in Jordan.
Genevieve Remondi graduated with honors from Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island, May 21, receiving an associate’s degree in baking and pastry and a bachelor’s degree in restaurant/food service management with a concentration in sommelier.
REUNION
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Jair Guevara and Felinda Montanez ’10 were engaged on January 13 in the Tirrell Building stairway.
News
2005
Paige Smigiel attended Curry College, is a registered nurse and has returned to school, to become a nurse practitioner. Zachary Yeager is currently finishing his Master’s in Higher Education at the University of North Texas while working with the Student Alumni Association and the Student Organization Risk Management program at the University.
Class of Submitted by Kayla O’Rourke Hernandez
2005 Class Officers/Reunion Committee: (Left to right) Kayla O’Rourke Hernandez, Tom Johnson, Leiszle Ziemba Lapping-Carr, Kastley Marvin
Members of the Class of 2005 gathered at the Harp and Dragon for their 10 year reunion in November 2015. Over 70 alumni were in attendance and were able to reminisce about their time as Wildcats and their adventures since graduation.
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Edwin Portugal was on live national TV in mid-February when he was interviewed on the Fox Business News program Varney & Co., by Stuart Varney, about happenings on the Brown campus related to social activism by students. Edwin was an intern as a Campus Correspondent with Leadership Institute’s Campus Reform while enrolled full time pursuing his degree in Public Policy. He opined about an article published in the Brown Daily Herald (the student paper) regarding student activists finding it so stressful that they are asking for special accommodation with their schoolwork, and Deans are granting these students excuse notes for extensions. Edwin said, “It’s ridiculous.” This story was picked up by several major news outlets like USA Today, Boston Post, National Review, etc. The opportunity for Edwin to appear on the Varney & Co. program was set up by the Leadership Institute media coordinator. Edwin was at the Fox affiliate studio in Providence while Stuart Varney was at the studio in NYC. It was a short segment, but nonetheless, Edwin was thrilled at the opportunity to speak his mind. Joseph Walczyk won the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) DiGiovanni Future Teacher Scholarship. Joseph is majoring in Music Education (instrument – trumpet) at Central Connecticut State University
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Oliva Wolfe is heavily involved in competing in horse shows, in addition to attending college and working part-time.
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Gia Barber completed her Navy Basic Training in Great Lake, Illinois, in December 2015 and then completed her ‘A’ School in Damage Control in February. She is stationed in San Diego on the USS Rushmore as a Damage Controlman.
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UPCOMING REUNIONS Class of 1950: 66th Year Reunion Saturday, September 24, 2016 Acorn Acres Campground, Bozrah
Class of 1981 35th Year Reunion Saturday, October 15, 2016 NFA Homecoming Harp & Dragon
Class of 1953 63rd Year Reunion Saturday, August 13, 2016 Home of Bruce Blye, Mystic
Class of 1986 30th Year Reunion Saturday, August 6, 2016 NFA Atrium
Class of 1957 – 1965 Red & White Reunion Saturday, August 27, 2016 Langley’s Restaurant, Waterford
Class of 1991 25th Year Reunion October 2016 Location TBD
Class of 1961 55th Year Reunion Saturday, September 17, 2016 The Spa at Norwich Inn Class of 1976 40th Year Reunion Saturday, August 20, 2016 The Spa at Norwich Inn
Class of 1996 20th Year Reunion Saturday, August 13, 2016 Norwich Holiday Inn Class of 2001 15th Year Reunion No reunion planned Class of 2006 10th Year Reunion November 2016 Location TBD
For updated reunion details visit
www.NFASchool.org/AlumniEvents
CLASSNOTES
ONLINE
The opportunity for Wildcats to share their individual stories is the center of NFA’s alumni community. Milestones, anniversaries, accomplishments, and continued connection with classmates and friends are the essence of Alma Matters, as are the photographs that tell so much more than words. NFA Magazine faithfully represents your news, but space limits both content and photography. Your connection with one another is as important and powerful as is your connection with the Academy. Class Notes will soon appear on the NFA website. Click on Class Notes in the drop under Alumni. Notes will be arranged by decade, archived and searchable. Submit news for both NFA Magazine and Class Notes online under Alumni. Have twice as much fun – in print AND online.
While visiting the Alumni section, join NFA’s LinkedIn Page and network professionally with other NFA alumni.
NFASchool.org/Calendar First Day of School for 9th Grade & Sachem Campus August 31, 7:25 a.m. First Day of School for 10th, 11th, 12th Grades September 1, 7:25 a.m. Parents Night September 15, 6 - 8:30 p.m. Sports Hall of Fame – Class of 2016 October 13, 6 p.m., Slater Auditorium Homecoming vs. East Lyme October 15, 1 p.m., Turf Field Wildcat Open Golf Tournament October 16, 12 p.m., Norwich Golf Course Open House for Prospective Students October 16 & November 6, 1 p.m., Atrium Information Session for Prospective Students December 6, 6 p.m., Atrium
CLASS OF
1966 CELEBRATES 50TH REUNION
As part of their 50th Reunion celebration, members of the Class of 1966 joined the graduation exercises for the Class of 2016 on Friday, June 10. Members supported their 50th Reunion Class Gift by contributing over $28,000 for the Class of 1966 Scholarship and the Wildcat Loft, NFA’s food and clothing pantry.
FACULTY & STAFF News
FOUNDATION SUPPORTS CERTIFICATION INITIATIVE Thirteen NFA faculty members completed ARCTELL, an advanced preparation program approved by the CT State Board of Education to earn TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)/Bilingual certification endorsement. Connecticut is dedicated to providing non-native speakers with qualified, certified educators to teach them English. Between August and May, the participants completed 150 classroom hours, 100 practicum hours, 20 professional development hours, and countless hours of reading, reflecting, and collaborating. They learned theories to strengthen second language acquisition, the impact of culture upon language development, researched based instructional strategies, effective lesson design, and appropriate assessment to guide instruction for those learning English. Participants included NFA faculty Lori Croteau, Patricia Crowley ‘92, Karen Davenport-Diaz, Piper Deltenre, Mirela Gjino, Stephani Jones, Ashli Mackey, Rosalie Nogiec, Sandra Miller, Heather Silera, Thomas Teixeria ‘09, and Regina Vose ‘00.
Six Norwich Public School teachers also participated in the program including NFA alumni Nora Bartnicki ‘06, Denielle Beaudet-Sandoval ’99 and Susan Kutia ‘08. The initiative was run by ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services) south central Connecticut’s regional service agency, which improves public education through high quality, cost effective programs and services. NFA’s ELL Team Leader, Amy Rygielski Correia ’01, arranged and taught the program. The NFA Foundation, Inc. supported this initiative.
CELEBRATING 325 YEARS OF SERVICE More than a dozen teachers and staff members retired at the end of the current academic year. In October 1856, founder John Putnam Gulliver spoke of “the labors of years” educators would give to the Academy. This group of retirees collectively has given just over 325 years of service to the institution, leaving behind a legacy of instruction, professionalism, dedication and love that has transformed thousands of lives and propelled NFA students into the world as good citizens and people. Retirees (left to right): Ronald Noyes, Joseph Miragliuolo, Henry Laudone, Robert Osko, Elina van den Berg, Linda Tribensky Farrell ‘67, Marie Strong Joly ’73 and Nancy King Macht ’73. Not pictured: Margery Anadore, Beverly Bacon, Kevin Clendennin, Joann Ladd, Constance Mitchell, and Margaret Weaver.
World Language teacher Rachel Mandeville is proud mother of Mila Grace Desjardins, born February 20.
Sachem Campus teacher Anastasia Barber Orsini ’98 and her husband Anthony welcomed Cole Anthony on April 13. Shattuck Principal Kristin Peckrul and husband, Bill, welcomed Robert Phillip Peckrul, May 13.
NFA’s Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Bill Scarlata was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, April 20. First hired as a math teacher in 1974 and now retired from teaching, Scarlata just completed his 37th year of coaching. In 24 years as head coach of the varsity team, he has led the Wildcats to 533 wins, seven state championships and 17 ECC league championships.
Social studies teacher Sandra Soucy traveled to Washington, DC, in June to attend the prestigious Supreme Court Summer Institute. After a highly competitive application process, 60 teachers nationally were selected to participate. The Institute, open to teachers in the fields of law-related and civic education, is cosponsored by Street Law, Inc., and the Supreme Court Historical Society. In addition to 10th grade Global Studies & Civics, Soucy teaches an Introduction to Law class to 11th and 12th-graders. School Psychologist Deb Spera welcomed son Rocco Anthony Spera, January 11.
Chris Staley ‘97, Special Education teacher, and his wife Michelle Stiwell Staley ’02 welcomed their daughter, Juliana Grace Staley, on December 8, 2015. Julianna’s grandparents are Bob ’68 and Pat Staley. Chris was also named a 2016 Outstanding Coach of the Year by the CT High School Coaches Association. He has worked with NFA’s Unified Sports program for 14 years, serving as coach for 12. Cranston House Guidance Counselor Lyndsie Sumner and husband, Mike, welcomed daughter Reide Stella Sumner, May 28.
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ALUMNI FRIENDS
&We Will Miss
Vincent “Jim” Perrone ‘37 Former business teacher Vincent “Jim” Perrone passed away April 4. He graduated from NFA in 1937, attended Becker College of Business Administration, Long Island University and received his Master’s Degree from the University of Hartford. Jim enlisted in the Navy on September 17, 1940 and received training at the Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island. He was promoted from Apprentice Seaman through all Enlisted grades including Chief Petty Officer and then on to Commissioned Warrant Officer. After retiring from the military in April 1963, Jim returned home to Norwich, received his Master’s Degree and taught at NFA for 20 years where he taught business classes and was the Campus Store Advisor. He retired from NFA in 1984. He is survived by his daughter Betty Perrone Choate ‘70 and JoAnn Perrone Fadeley ’74.
Terell Wilson ‘10 Terell Wilson, Class of 2010, died May 9, as a result of injuries sustained from a motor vehicle accident. His vehicle was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 95 in Milford. Wilson was a member of the Norwich City Council from 2013-15. He served as President of the NAACP’s Connecticut State Youth and College Division for five years and former vice-president for the Norwich branch’s Robertsine Duncan Youth Council. At 15, he received the Medgar Evers Youth Leadership Award. He was recipient of the NFA Alumni Association’s George Ripley Student Humanitarian Award in 2009.
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We express our deepest sympathy to the families and classmates of the following NFA graduates who are known to have recently passed away. They will be missed. 1930 Cecile Lafreniere Allen 1931 Ruth Wight Still 1932 Virginia Backus Davis 1936 Hattie Olenkiewicz Pillo Harry Swatsburg 1937 Celia Hankin Hochman Walter Kelly Helen Button McGuire Colombe DesSureault Mossey Vincent “Jim” Perrone Nina Poulaino Shaver 1938 Saul Caroline Ruth Johnson Morin 1939 Louis Hankin 1940 Doris Freeman Jeppesen Margaret Cox Lenkiewicz Olga Remondi Melnichuk 1941 Shirley Bissonette Morrissette Jess Poliquin Ann Birok Shaughnessy Lorraine Beauregard Starr Penelope John Tillery 1942 Frances Fazio Buckley Leona Frances Helen Bujnowski Gwiazdowski Dorothy Llewellyn Joray
1943 Theodora Millard Bates Mary Alfieri Bosko Rita LaRochelle Hoffman Allen Kaufman Lawrence LaFreniere Catherine Bray Monahan 1944 Schuyler Gilbert Therese Quinn Kent Loretta Desjardins McCaffery Kenneth Ring Madelyn Charron Schuller John Walsh 1945 Kenneth Botham Henri Lambert Grace Patrick Moran Agnes Benson Taylor 1946 Blanche Cimikoski Armen Elizabeth Brown Burns Rene Houle Harold Johndrow Victoria Papyis Johnson Maude Shea Seyler 1947 Florence Majchier Beausoleil Marion Thom Camp Emery Caron Alice Carter Geer Milford Newbury Patricia Gocka Perkins Raymond Peterson Beverly Staebner Raymond Margaret Altschul Shaughnessy Arlene Pachiodo Staubley
1948 Kathleen McSweeney DeGray Joseph Grillo Benjamin Hull Francis McMahon Robert Perkins Gay Bennett Reichart Lillian Vachon 1949 Cleon George Jesse Gray Ranol Hemingway Richard Isper Sally Sadusky Krajewski Walter Main Ruth Silverman Moskowitz 1950 Pauline Reardon Joseph Wojcik 1951 Gloria Sellas Anilowski Vincent Castronova Lucille Godek Guertin Eleanor Sisson John Socha 1952 Elizabeth Pershaec Bennett Carmen Coletti Francis Duff Donald Ginsberg Gregory Barbara Isper Manos Carol Kearney Roberts 1953 Ralph Bogue Nancy Brogno Enos Joyce Amburn LaMarche Dennis Monahan Dolores Menders Viens Judith Audette West 1954 Barbara Donovan Dwyer Gloria Salvidio Gates Barbara Brogno Goupille Veronica Mitchell Hanrahan Maureen Gribbin Kopetz Donald Leffingwell
1955 Walfrid Bjorn Donald Downey Dominic Fasolino Robert Haun David Seatter
1965 David Godere Donna Lambert O’Neill Helen Marikle Passano Peter Rotella Judith Pankiewicz Smead
1956 Barbara Wujcik Ahern Michael Baribeault Elwood Benson Roger Gourd Gerald Newton
1966 Rosaire Brochu Gary Gelmini William Greenspan Carl Perkins
1957 Elaine Weber Bowman 1958 Patrick Dunion Sylvia Dayton Gianacopolos Judith Dickenman Myers Charles Thorpe 1959 Wayne Duchesneau Robert McBride Geraldine Daigle Scheid 1960 Susan Buckley Laurel Sherman Carter Edward Cubanski Patricia Gardner Elton Marion Sailer Lazarek Maris Goldstein Pavloski Arline Bordeau Walsh 1961 Andrew Borsa Barbara Cliche Malerba William Quinley 1962 Richard Albertine Roberta Marchand Langlais Gilbert Milone 1963 Rita Cloutier Canova Peter Erickson 1964 Patricia Molkenthin Emback Robert Roberts Barbara Walkiewicz Rollo
1967 James Ibbison 1968 Christine Alfieri Patrick Lafayette David Lunt Kathleen Noyes Stanley Perkowski Robert Valentine 1969 Barbara Bell Coppo Alexander Kucharyk 1970 Daniel Ostrowski Beverly Lamperelli Thompson 1971 Deborah Hust Hague Nicole Roberge Varella Alan Zeliff
1979 Beth O’Brien Chmiel Darren James Mitchell Pomo 1980 Jeffery Jeffcoat Joseph Kotulsky Harold Semmelrock 1981 David Bonomi 1982 Mark Klauer John Malavenda 1984 Ronald Chartier 1986 Jonathan Henn 1987 David Smith 1990 Michelle Cook 1993 Jeffrey Tarr 1997 Walter D. Kelly, Jr. 1999 Eric Grillo
1972 Luann Ryan Beauchemin
2006 Michael Brandon
1973 Thomas Malone Patrick Yeitz
2010 Terell Wilson
1974 Madeline Civitello Toth Mary Walski 1976 Florence Stockton Avery 1977 Michael Josypenko 1978 Michele Pepin Ciriello
2012 Cassidy Dickens Retraction: We sincerely apologize to Howard Oberman ‘75 who was incorrectly included on the deceased listing in the print edition of the Summer 2016 NFA Magazine. Summer 2016
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peoplematter AL FECTEAU ‘65 As our society has changed, so too have security and safety on campus. Incidents of national and state school violence have necessitated a close look at NFA safety operations. Security and safety enhancements within NFA’s traditional open campus have been extraordinary, customer service-oriented, and directly creditable to the people who made them happen, chief among whom is Al Fecteau ’65. Fecteau retired in January after more than 20 years as NFA’s Director of Campus Safety. Fecteau came to the Academy with a portfolio of experiences that made him the perfect choice to professionalize and modernize NFA’s long term focus upon safety. A U.S. Navy veteran, a police department commander and the first youth officer in the city, an active community and church volunteer, the recipient of special training from communications to death notification, Fecteau says, “Everything I had done and all my experience and training came together to prepare me for this job.” And he is right. Fecteau directed campus safety operations – developing policies, protocols and procedures; training faculty and staff; counseling students; and advising parents and families. “You know the statement ‘It takes a village to raise a child’?” asks Fecteau. “Well, I believe it takes a village to keep a child safe. It is collective action, not just leadership from the top. It is about all the people who care for our students.” Fecteau is emphatic, “I worked with good people whose priority was always the students.”
Fecteau never lost sight of the human element of his job. “Our mindset has always been foremost to educate,” he says. “And, you know, the challenge of our job sometimes is that when a student seems least loveable, they may be most in need of our care and understanding. “NFA’s efforts have always been ahead of the curve dating back to the early 1960s,” continues Fecteau, and he credits a supportive Board and Head of School for recent advancements. “When David Klein came on board,” he said “the first thing he wanted to know from me was ‘Where are we most vulnerable? What do you need? Where can we improve?’ Those were great questions, because we are always improving; it’s an ongoing process.” Fecteau cites five years of continuous improvement – Visitor’s Check-in Stations at the North and South Entrances; an electronic gate (and soon to be third Visitor’s Checkin Station) at the East Entrance; video surveillance, controlled traffic patterns and a gate behind Shattuck, electronic keyless entry, upgraded alarm systems, an active safety committee, and many, many more, some of which have garnered national and state recognition. “We are in a very good place, we have accomplished a great deal,” he reflects noting that “we have changed the culture.” While the safety changes on campus startle some NFA alumni, even quite recent ones, upon reflection, all understand the tremendous need for safety, especially to maintain NFA’s traditional, appealing and iconic open campus. But, for Al Fecteau, it was always about one thing: “I always wanted to work with the students.”
Summer 2016
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At Norwich Free Academy, our students are proud to point out what makes us different. It’s pretty simple, and yet it’s not something many high school students get. Options. Together with their families and faculty, NFA students build a four-year experience that is uniquely theirs—and turn their passions into a lifetime of opportunities.
Learn About Your Endless Possibilities Open Houses Sunday, October 16, 2016 – 1:00 pm Sunday, November 6, 2016 – 1:00 pm Registration at 12:30 pm or pre-register at nfaschool.org/openhouse
Information Session Tuesday, December 6, 2016 – 6:00 pm Registration at 5:30 pm or pre-register at nfaschool.org/infosession