FALL 2003

Experiential Learning at The Athenian School

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L A N N U A L M A G A Z I N E

OUR THEME:EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AT THE ATHENIAN SCHOOL

Alum Finds Hope in Guatemala.....4

Arlene Ustin’s 50th AWE ................5

Middle School Focus Days .............6

Athenian Robotics Collective .........8

Building an Airplane ......................9

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Young Round Square Conference...7

Class of 2003 Plans........................9

Annual Giving..............................10

“Why Give?” Asks Alum...............11

Annual Giving by Alums ..............14

Alumni News ...............................15

Alum Activities: “A Great Year” ....18

Reunion 2003 ....inside/outside back

The Development Office welcomesyour comments and thoughts. Pleasesend us your address, telephone and e-mail changes. We also encourageyou to send us photographs and birthannouncements!

The Athenian School2100 Mount Diablo Scenic Blvd.Danville, CA 94506-2002

(925) 837-5375

Barbara GoodsonDirector of Development and Alumni Relations

Kathy HodsonAssociate Director,Communications

Pat WallAssociate Director, Development Programs

Bill LassellSystems Coordinator

Bucciarelli CommunicationsMagazine Design

Hunza Graphics, OaklandMagazine Printing

Cover photo by Barbara Goodson and Kathy Hodson

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE TRUSTEES

Exciting Plans for Athenian’s Futureby Claire Solot, Chair, Board of Trustees

As an alumna (class of ’84) of The Athenian School,I’m honored to be addressing you as the new Chair ofthe Board of Trustees. My first act as Chair is to thankMike McCoy for his outstanding leadership over thepast 5 years. During Mike’s tenure the school hasthrived and prospered. I am fortunate to be inheritinga financially stable and vibrant organization.

Experiential learning is one of the core values that setAthenian apart. Friday Focus Days in the Middle

School, Community Service, The Athenian Wilderness Experience, and TownMeeting in the Upper School are all invaluable components of an Athenianeducation. I hope as you read about experiential learning at Athenian in thisissue of the magazine, you will come to appreciate even more the school’suniqueness and vitality.

As I begin my tenure as board chair, I’m very optimistic about Athenian’sfuture excellence. The physical enhancements brought about by theCampaign for Athenian have finally made the campus quality equal to thatof the educational experience. Even though physical sites have been created,enhanced and transformed, Athenian has remained true to its foundingphilosophies and programs. I look forward to working with you.

Sinjin BainMary BiancoDavid Buchanan, ’72Eleanor Dase, HeadSteve DavenportAnn FletcherRichard Frankel

Patty FrazerLorna LeeShana Levine, ’80Dan LynchMike McCoySusan NebesarSteve Podell ’77

Steve PostJudy RaininJanay Richardson ’84Aaron SassonBarbara ScanlonClaire Solot ’84Fiona Stewart

Jackie Thomas ’82Ted UrbanDick WarmingtonBea Winslow ’75

Honorary TrusteeDyke Brown

THE ATHENIAN BOARD OF TRUSTEES

As of August 1, 2003

The Athenian School prepares students for the rigorous expectations of college and for a life of purpose and personal fulfillment. � We offer achallenging academic program with a difference: intellectual inquiry is

active, learning is interactive, the disciplines are interrelated, and analysis and cre-ativity thrive simultaneously. The acquisition of knowledge becomes authentic andjoyous. � We cultivate the personal qualities of each student to become an inte-grated human being with integrity, strong moral character, aesthetic sensitivity, andphysical well being. The Athenian community requires students to face life directlythrough open communication, while developing their inner strength to exceed theirperceived potential and emerge compassionate, responsible adults. � We instill anappreciation of the reciprocal relationship between the individual and cultures,society and the natural world. We value the power and beauty of multiculturalismwithin our diverse community. We embrace the principles of democratic gover-nance, stewardship of the environment, respect for human dignity, and service as away of life. � By providing an atmosphere of intellectual, artistic, and physicalchallenge within the warmth of a nurturing community, we develop in our studentsthe confidence and skills required to meet the complexities of their future. —The Athenian School Mission Statement

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Hands-On Educationby Eleanor Dase

While having lunch with Dyke Brown this sum-mer, our discussion turned to the value of philoso-phies in independent schools and the importanceof mission statements during times of competingpressures on students and schools. Dyke spoke ofhis unwavering commitment to “fitness of mindand moral virtue” in developing Athenian, and the

accompanying importance of authentic learning experiences as the mostenduring and valuable mode of learning. The faculty, through their unselfishinvestment in the learning opportunities for students both in and beyondthe classroom, enable students to reap the benefits of these authentic learn-ing experiences in their adult lives by becoming “integrated human beings.”Experiential education in this broad context both embodies much of the cur-rent learning at Athenian and epitomizes the year we have just completed.

Within this magazine you will read about robotics at Athenian, the actualbuilding of an airplane on campus, Young Round Square, and Middle SchoolFocus Days. Other experiential learning opportunities this year includedebate tournaments, Model United Nations, and trips to Vietnam, theDominican Republic and Baja. Service learning has added relevant exten-sions to classroom learning in many courses, and the fall play, The LaramieProject, provided the entire community with provocative and meaningfuleducation. In an exit interview, one senior remembered with great clarityand affection his understanding of the change-over in Hong Kong becauseof his immersion into this historic event in middle school, and severalseniors mentioned AWE as life-changing for them. Testimonials from alum-ni confirm the eternal value of this kind of learning for both fitness of mindand moral virtue.

Experiences among all constituencies were equally rewarding this year. Thecompleted library in the center of campus attracted large numbers of stu-dents throughout the day, and an enhanced baseball field and new softballfield welcomed student athletes. Several new alumni gatherings, both local-ly and in New York and Washington DC, increased alumni involvement andstrengthened their bonds with the school.

The Board of Trustees continued their tremendous dedication to Athenianthrough their leadership, hard work on implementation of the StrategicPlan, and generous financial support. Following five years as Chair ofAthenian’s Board, Mike McCoy turned over the reins to Claire Solot, ’84.Athenian’s parents were also exemplary in their ongoing support of theschool community. In addition to outstanding generosity in the AnnualFund, they successfully sponsored the auction and a garden tour, and wereenergetic and dedicated volunteers in many ways.

We are excited about the year ahead. The opening of the Center for the Artswill climax Athenian’s efforts to visibly support this outstanding program.The alumni have created an Alumni Organization to support their importantwork, and the parents have already launched several exciting initiatives.Most important, however, will be the experience of each student at Athenianas we remain committed to our central mission of educating students for lifethrough relevant and meaningful educational experiences.

With the completion of the new

Center for the Arts, the entire

community can be proud of the

success of the Campaign for

Athenian.

Begun in 1998, this capital

campaign concentrated on

funding for much-needed

building projects. The first to be

built was a new Middle School

campus in 2000. Next came

locker rooms for the gymnasi-

um, and a new library. Finally,

with the library collection

moved to its new home in the

central campus, the Center for

the Arts was created in the old

library building.

Every constituency of The

Athenian School community

played a role in these campus

improvements. All are invited

to attend the opening gala for

the Center for the Arts on

October 18, 2003 at 4:00 p.m.

The theater, classrooms and

dance studio will be open for

viewing, as well as artwork

from distinguished Athenians. A

presentation will follow in the

theater. Please come celebrate

this milestone in the life of The

Athenian School.

Celebrate!Celebrate!

Hope in Guatemalaby Jenny Friedman, ’97

On April 26th, 2003, in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, I bounced along in theback of a pickup truck on the last leg of my long journey to the rural village of Ilom. Aswe crested the final hill and began the descent into the valley, I got my first glimpse ofthe community I would be calling home for the next seven months. Smallwood–planked houses with tin roofs were nestled into the tropical hillside between lushgreenery and carefully cultivated cornfields. A small crowd of Ilom residents, thewomen dressed in the traditional brightly colored woven blouse and skirt, gathered towatch our arrival. My adventure as a human rights accompanier had begun.

Accompaniment is a form of human rights monitoring in which the physical presenceof a foreigner creates a layer of safety for the Guatemalans. In 2000, a group of coura-geous communities from across the country came together to bring genocide charges

against two of Guatemala’s bloodiest ex-military dictators, Romeo Lucas García andEfraín Ríos Montt. I was placed in Ilom because it is home to a handful of wit-

nesses in the pending trial. During the 1970s and 1980s the Guatemalangovernment massacred and “disappeared” approximately 200,000 of itsown citizens. Overall, the death toll in Guatemala’s 36 year civil warsurpasses that of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Chile com-

bined.

Life in Ilom is slow. The community is comprised almost entirely offarmers growing corn and beans for their own consumption, and organ-

ic coffee for sale to a local cooperative. I am struggling to grasp anelementary level of their indigenous language, Ixil. I

am learning to weave on the back strap loomon which women weave their traditional, color-ful huipil blouses.

As the days laze by, I have to stop and remindmyself that this is all part of something much bigger. Our monthly trips to GuatemalaCity, where we get updates on the case from the lawyers, help keep us connected. Justin my first two months here, I have seen the lives of the witnesses threatened by othercommunity members unhappy with their politics, as well as an exhumation of some ofthose killed during “La Violencia” for use as evidence during the trial.

Although I am far from home, it does not seem difficult to trace my path back to my timeat Athenian. The mantras of international understanding and community service havebecome part of my personal philosophy. At Athenian I was active in Interweave, envi-ronmental groups, and the Community Service office. When I graduated, I went on tocollege with my commitment to working for justice already firmly instilled in me. Andalthough today I am fluent in Spanish, I still use the clever mnemonic devices that Ilearned from Donaldo in my first years of Spanish class as a tenth grader.

Much as I am a product of my time at Athenian, I am anxious to bring my experiencein Guatemala back to that community. A big part of my work as an accompanier beginswhen I get back to the States this December, raising awareness of the human rights sit-uation in Guatemala.

Beginning in January, 2004, Jenny will be available for speaking to any group that is inter-ested in hearing more (classes, activist organizations, churches, etc.). If you are interested in having her speak to your group, please e-mail her at jennytf12@yahoo.com. For moreinformation about her trip, visit www.geocities.com/jennytf12/jeninguatemala.html.

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Educating your mind, body and soul through experiences; that’s an Athenian education. Making you

question why you believe what you believe by putting yourself in situations, such as AWE, is a part of discovering who you

are and loving yourself for the good and for the bad. From reenacting the Vietnam War to participating in the Model United

Nations to Tim Holm Days to the Round Square conference in Kenya; all of these experiences from middle to high school lay

at the foundation of who I am today. I am truly thankful for all of the hands-on educational experiences that I had as a mem-

ber of the Athenian community, because they remind me of the importance of going out and doing something. They have also

inspired me to take my education beyond textbooks and lectures in the classroom to making the world, from Europe to South

America (and all that lies in between), a part of my life experience from which I continue to learn. — Jeannine Bell ’98

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My 50th Athenian Wilderness Experienceby Arlene R. Ustin, Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience

“AWE is the heart and soul of The Athenian School.” — Eleanor Dase, 2003

It is hard to believe that this summer season begins my twenty-sixth year at Athenian asDirector of the Athenian Wilderness Experience (AWE). So much time has passed. Infact, a few weeks ago Ed Ellis teased me about soon matching his tenure! Yet, it was withgreat satisfaction, pride and humility that I returned from Death Valley on my fiftiethAWE this past March with exceptional adolescents who had an excellent course.

Now, most of you have heard me describe AWE as “yours,” and may be wonderingif I always say this. Actually I guess I do, and as a reminder why, I want to tell

you four of the many insights our recent juniors gave me permission to share:

“What I learned was that teamwork makes the impossible a simple task.”

“When I cared for others, everyone succeeded.”

“I found a place of beauty and peace where everyone can be their best withoutcompetition.”

“I saw the person I want to be, and I saw the person I did not want to be.”

My time at Athenian began with a conversation in 1978 with Steve Davenport,then Athenian’s Head. I found Athenian’s philosophy consonant with my own

and happily joined the faculty. My sense is that the relevancy of AWE has becomeeven more acute since the early 1990s. Our world is a troubled one and civil liber-

ties are threatened daily. Only when we regularly examine and strengthen our basicbelief systems, our “inner magnetic needles” if you will, can we navigate through “the

overwhelm” with integrity and courage, person-to-person and globally. In concert withlife on campus and Athenians abroad, I feel AWE highlights and purports what morali-ty is for each Athenian with a dramatic and profound impact. From such a humanefoundation, we are fortunate in our community, immediate and extended, to celebrateand savor the joy, the humor and the talent in each of us as well as the kick in life.

For two and a half decades, I have maintained that AWE is first and foremost a value-based educational experience. Its objectives are drawn from our Athenian mission, notfrom any other source. In preparing students today, I tell them their course will only besuccessful when every one of them has been successful. Here “successful” means that inthe supportive milieu created by peers and AWE adults, each Athenian affirms, deepensor discovers his or her best qualities.

I trust the spirit in which I write is familiar to you, even if the words have changed over time.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL FOCUS DAYS

Cross-Curricular, Experiential — and Funby Marilyn Nachtman, Head of Middle School

From our founding in 1979, the Athenian Middle School has been committed to offer-ing our students a curriculum that is rigorous, interdisciplinary, and experiential.

Monday through Thursday, our students rotate through a school day of eight class peri-ods. Fridays are completely geared to interdisciplinary, hands-on learning. Time andagain, our Friday Focus Days are cited by students, teachers, and parents as one of theoutstanding aspects of our school.

Every Friday, students at each Middle School grade level work with a team of teachers who have designed the day’s activities to be an extension of the curriculum.Calculating the volume of the pool can take the better part of the day, and a fifteenminute chariot race can be just the thing to begin another grade’s Roman adventure.

On a typical Focus Day, four teachers work with each grade level, bringing a love formiddle school students, subject expertise, and a firm commitment to interdisciplinaryinstruction. For example, an intensive study of Japan in the sixth grade includesmajor strands in English, social studies, and art. In addition to completing aresearch paper, students also learn brush painting in art, write haiku inEnglish, and discover the social structure of feudal Japan in social studies.The unit ends with Shogun Day. Here, students are organized into clans,forming alliances and angling for the ultimate prize: the Shogunate. The dayincorporates several unique athletic activities, strategy games, and demonstrationsof artistic prowess.

Seventh graders take a similarly well-rounded approach with their study of ancientGreece. Projects that begin in their English, art, and social studies classes converge inan event known as Panathenaea, named for a tributary path emanating in Athens andending at the Acropolis. During the Panathenaea, students are grouped into several city-states. Each group creates an altar to its patron god or goddess and displays artwork andother items emblematic of its city-state. Additionally, students participate in a proces-sional with their group and perform scenes from Aeschylus’ Oresteia. Finally, studentsrepresent their city-states in the Olympic games, performing feats of strength, speed,and grace that date back to ancient Greece.

One of the interdisciplinary projects in the eighth grade is a research paper on an envi-ronmental issue. Known as the Pollution Paper, this project involves choosing their top-ics and conducting research and interviewing public officials in science, using properformatting and correct citation of sources in English and writing letters expressing con-cern about their topics to selected public officials and publications.

At Athenian, we feel strongly that cross-curricular, experiential education creates a last-ing impression on students. Understanding the process as well as the product, the “how”and “why” as well as the “what,” is central to our pedagogical method at Athenian.

HANDS-ON IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

On a typical Focus Day, four teachers work with each gradelevel, bringing a love for middle school students, subject exper-tise, and a firm commitment to interdisciplinary instruction.

7

Some of my favorite memories from Middle School are Focus Days such as the Pana-

thenaea and Island Day. I was lucky to experience Island Day in sixth grade at the Lafayette Reservoir.

The class was split into four groups and instructed to develop tribes. It was a way of learning everything it

takes to create a new culture. Several questions needed to be answered to develop our society: What type

of government? What type of currency? How will we communicate? Upon completion of these tasks, some

members of the society had the opportunity to go and visit other tribes to trade and learn their culture. It

was entertaining and very comical at times. Communication could be challenging depending on how the

tribe had decided to convey their thoughts. One group decided they would have a “no speaking” law

every ten minutes. If you spoke during the wrong ten minutes no trades would occur or worse, they

wouldn’t let you leave.

The Panathenaea was a major Friday Focus Day during seventh grade. Students dressed in ancient Greek

attire and brought a unique food from that era. Temples were made in honor of different Greek gods; we

even created our own mini-Olympics. Students were encouraged to be incredibly creative throughout the

process of learning an ancient culture.

Experiential learning allows students to explore and have unique experiences; thus, a different type of

learning occurs. After experiencing just one of the Friday activities like the Panathenaea or Island Day, stu-

dents get so excited they want to learn more. Like Newtonian physics, it's this type of hands-on experi-

ence that really turns students on to learning. — Jennie Inglis ’03

Middle School Hosts Young Round Square ConferenceRedefining Success: Round Square for Life was the Young RoundSquare conference theme in 2003. The meeting took place April 1through 6 at Athenian, welcoming middle-school-age students fromNorth American Round Square schools. The first woman to win theAlaskan Iditarod, Libby Riddles, spoke about outdoor adventure andhow it can inspire success in all areas of life. Delegates kayaked on SanFrancisco Bay, and camped overnight on Angel Island.

To highlight the community service pillar, students engaged in serviceactivities under the direction of Diane Grieman. Judy Ataie coordi-nated an art project including a specially-designed tile from each delegate school.

No trip to the Bay Area would be complete without a taste of China-town and a Mexican Fiesta, both a part of the conference activities. Ahighlight of the event occurred when the students from across NorthAmerica sang a revised version of This Land is Your Land, includingthe lyric “from Nova Scotia to Mt. Diablo, this land was made for youand me.”

Hats off to Lynne Carberry, conference coordinator, who put the entireevent together so beautifully!

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Athenian Robotics Collective Ends Season with a Bangby Linda Post

On January 4th, the Athenian Robotic Collective learned the rules for thisyear’s “Stack Attack” game and received their kit of parts during the FIRST2003 Competition Kick-off. For the next six and a half weeks, approxi-mately 30 team members planned the robot’s strategy, designed it to achievecertain goals, machined hundreds of parts, assembled them, and created aprogram to run the robot both autonomously and with a human controllerat the joy stick. After shipping the robot to the competition site on February20th, the team took a short break before building a second identical robotto use for practice. A mock playing field was set up in the main hall overspring break, and the robot was found to be speedy, responsive, and tough.

On the last Thursday of March, the team assembled at San Jose State alongwith 45 other teams from California, Colorado, Washington, Alaska,Arizona, and Hawaii for the Silicon Valley Regional competition. The firstorder of business was to uncrate the robot “Chet 3,” pass the inspection andweigh-in, and get it up and running for a few trial sessions. Friday morningthe competition began in earnest. Each of the 100+ preliminary rounds con-sisted of two pairs of robot teams facing off against each other across a 4-foot by 12-foot ramp located at the center of the field. The top of the plat-form contained a pyramid of stacked plastic storage containers. Each team’s

robot ran in autonomous mode for thefirst 15 seconds, then under human con-trol for the remainder of the two-minutematch. They attempted to knock contain-ers into their own scoring zone, pushthem out of the opponent’s zone, and fin-ish the round positioned at the top of theramp. Several finer points regarding scor-ing made the matches all the more strate-gically challenging and exciting.

The performance of the ARC robot lived up to expectations, but the first dayproved rough. The Athenian team was paired up with other teams that hadrobots out of commission, and our students struggled as they learned to dealwith their own very powerful and aggressive machine. They regrouped thatnight, determined to persevere using team members’ skills to their bestadvantage. Their focus and resolve paid off, and the team cam back to winall of its remaining matches. ARC’s finish in 17th place overall after the pre-liminary rounds ended on Saturday reflected its difficult beginning, yet itssuperb performance was recognized by fellow competitors. The numberthree-ranked team, Monta Vista High from Cupertino, selected Athenian tobe a part of their coalition for the finals, along with the “Cheesy Poofs” fromBellarmine College Prep in San Jose. It proved to be an excellent match-up,and the three teams impressed the crowd with their no-holds-barred displayof authority and finesse. As a result, the alliance took first place and theAthenians returned home after three exhilarating days with a team trophyand individual medals around their necks. Just as important, the studentsdiscovered how critical it is to work together as a team, and everyone sharedequally in the victory.

SALUTINGSCHOLARSHIP

STUDENTS

DYKE AND KATE BROWNSCHOLARSHIP

RAM RAO ’03; DYKE BROWN,FOUNDER OF THE ATHENIAN

SCHOOL; ADRIANA STREIFER ’03

ED ELLIS SCHOLARSHIP

ED ELLIS, FORMER

DEAN OF STUDENTS;DANA MORRISON ’03

PRESIDENTIAL FREEDOM SCHOLARS

ALEXANDRA BUTTERFIELD ’03 (LEFT);BRITTANI WALDMAN ’03 (RIGHT)

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Building theSpirit of Athenianby Kathy Urbelis

A generous gift from aviationenthusiast and Diablo neighbor,Marshall Freeman, will offerAthenian students a unique andexciting learning experience:

building a Piper Cub airplane. The projectkicked off in March and will take an estimated 2-4 years to

complete. Marshall Freeman read about Athenian’s robotics project andthought this might just be the place to build an airplane. He approachedAthenian with the proposal that he would fund and manage the project ifAthenian would be a willing participant and partner in the effort.

Marsh, as he likes to be called, has been an avid avia-tor for most of his life. Building planes is an avocationthat he loves. To date, Marsh has built four airplanes,two of which he still owns. He is very involved withthe flying community and is an active member of theExperimental Aircraft Association. Marsh will beleading the project with close support from BruceHamren, co-chair of the Science Department.“Although I know exactly how to proceed on myown, developing a project as a coach and teacher is anew experience for me, so I will be looking for advicefrom Bruce and from the kids, as we go along,” saysMarsh. “Above all, my goal is to make this fun for the

students, and to provide exposure to the rewards of participation in a long-term, team project with an important result.”

When the plane is completed, the wings will be removed and it will betowed to Buchanan Field for final inspections and test flying. Students whoare inspired to learn to fly will have the opportunity to do so at a substan-tial discount from the flight school at Buchanan through an arrangementthat Marsh has already made.

A generous gift from aviation enthusiast andDiablo neighbor, Marshall Freeman, will offerAthenian students a unique and exciting learningexperience: building a Piper Cub airplane. Both Marsh and Bruce agree that the desired result of this effort is to have itperpetuate itself, perhaps through sale of the plane to obtain another kit fora new group of students, through development of an ongoing course in avi-ation with help from NASA Ames, or through other innovative hands-onprojects, requiring use of a sophisticated workshop and tools. Such visionswill become more apparent as this pilot project progresses. “Athenian isthrilled to have such an opportunity and cannot thank our benefactorMarshall Freeman enough, not only for funding this unique learning expe-rience, but also for giving so much of his time to work with and educate ourstudents and faculty,” comments Bruce. “To have neighbors join the effortsof parents and teachers to enrich students’ lives is truly rewarding.”

MARSH AND

MARGARET FREEMAN

ON A RECENT VISIT

TO ATHENIAN

THE CLASS OF 2003

Off to College at…Academy of Art College

Arizona State University

Art Institute of Chicago

California State University Hayward

California State University Humboldt

Carnegie Mellon University

Chapman University

Colorado College

Community College

Denison University

Drexel University

Emory University

Evergreen State University

George Washington University

Hamilton College

Hawaii Pacific University

Macalester College

Northeastern University

Occidental College

San Francisco State University

Smith College

Texas Christian University

Tufts University

University of California at Davis

University of California at Los Angeles

University of California at San Diego

University of California at Santa Barbara

University of California at Santa Cruz

University of Colorado at Boulder

University of Mississippi

University of Missouri

University of Oregon

University of Puget Sound

University of Southern California

Washington University (St. Louis)

Whitman College

MORNING MEETING, UPPER SCHOOL

15151515151515

Alumni NewsDEARY DUFFIE — It was

great to spend the day and

evening reminiscing with fac-

ulty and friends at the 2003

Alumni Reunion. It really

doesn't seem like 30 years

have passed since I graduat-

ed. The campus still looks

beautiful and continues to

evolve in positive ways. It’s

still a magical place. The tour

of the new Center for the Arts

was exciting. I look forward

to attending the gala opening

[Oct. 18] later this year.

1976TIM WARREN — I am still

living the life of adventure

and was recently elected to

the Outdoor Writers Associ-

ation of California (OWAC)

board of directors. OWAC is

an association of outdoor

journalists and supporting

business members involved

with all types of outdoor

recreation in California and

the West. If any Athenian

wants to participate in a great

organization, this is it!

www.owac.org

While on a peace march

through San Francisco with

about 100,000 other antiwar

protesters, I turned around to

see my good friend and

Athenian alumnus Chris Arai

(class of ‘75) with his two-

year-old son on his shoulder.

Chris, Rick Cantwell, Peter

Wolford and I built a hang

glider out of bamboo from

scratch in 1975. Our creation

(which flew many times) pro-

vided problem solving and

team work opportunities,

laughter and fond memories

I’ll never forget. Thanks guys

and Athenian!

1981STEPHEN STERN — I am

an assistant professor at Get-

tysburg College in Gettys-

burg, PA.

1983SANGITA SHAH — Having

gone to our 20th reunion a

few weeks ago, I was so

amazed at how easy it was to

talk to other Athenians, even

after so many years. I looked

around at our table of eight

and realized that I think of

Sally Swarts and Raju Mann

like family! They, and a few

other Athenians, have been a

part of some of the most

important moments in my life

like graduations and my wed-

ding. What an incredible

thing to have developed those

kinds of lasting relationships

in high school!

SUSHMA SHAH — My

husband, Austin, and I are

coming up on our fifth year

wedding anniversary. Austin

owns a corporate chair mas-

sage company called Body

Techniques and runs a retail

massage center in Alameda,

California. I have been enjoy-

ing life after residency split-

ting my time working in

academic and private emer-

gency medicine. I teach resi-

dents at UCSF and also work

at a busy trauma hospital in

Castro Valley.

Austin and I have been hav-

ing a great time traveling. Our

last big adventure was hut to

hut hiking in the Dolomites

with friends and visiting cities

from Venice to the Amalfi

Coast. Our next destination is

Norway!

I would love to hear from any

fellow Athenians. My email

is: sshah@hghed.com.

1992 CHRIS KEMP — I have been

living in Seattle, WA for the

past 5 years. I recently bought

a house in West Seattle with

my fiancée, Julie. We are get-

ting married in Chicago in

October at a French restau-

rant managed by my sister

Betsy Kemp (class of ‘89).

I have been working as an

Account Manager for the

past four years at the Cobalt

Group, a web services

provider for the automotive

industry. I began playing

drums as a sophomore at

Athenian and have been play-

ing ever since. I currently

play in a local band, The

Drop. We have released two

albums on a local label,

Loveless Records, and will

soon begin recording a third

release. I would love to hear

from former classmates,

faculty or alumni. ckemp@

cobaltgroup.com

WENDELL ARNOLD — On

June 14, 2003, I married

Anastasia Herold at St.

Mary’s Cathedral of the

Assumption in San Francisco.

In attendance were DANIELWOOLPERT ’92 and PAVANGILL ’92 who were best men,

and ANGELA BADILLO ’92

who was one of the readers.

1994ILVA NEUMANN —

Although way too short, I

thoroughly enjoyed my one-

year stay at Athenian as an

exchange student. Upon

graduation at Schule Schloss

Salem in Germany in 1995, I

attended the University of

1973 1989

1616

Passau in Bavaria/Germany.

After my undergraduate peri-

od, I spent a semester at Duke

University in North Carolina

— an excellent experience.

Realizing that I wanted to stay

in the U.S., I did an internship

with the German-American

Chamber of Commerce in

Atlanta, Georgia for three

months. Back again at the

University of Passau, I gradu-

ated in International Business

and Cultural Studies in 2000.

Since then, I have been work-

ing for the chemical-giant

BASF as Purchasing Manager

for raw materials. The job

allows me to travel a lot and

work in a multinational envi-

ronment – I just got back from

a six-month stay in Asia

(mostly Japan, China and

South Korea). Anyhow, I hope

to get a chance to work a

longer period of time abroad

again, either in North Ameri-

ca or Asia.

In my spare time I am doing

all kinds of outdoor activities

(thanks Athenian!!!), mostly

mountaineering in the Swiss

Alps in summer and tele-

markeing in winter.

I am curious about alum life

that may exist in Europe, and

I would love to hear from

anyone around. Email me at

ilva.neumann@t-online.de.

SARA TOSETTI — I’m a

working costume designer in

NYC. Last year, after a brief

bout with cancer, I spent the

summer in London, consider-

ing a return to Europe (and

national health care). What I

learned is that I am in love

with New York City and can-

not possibly ever leave it. I

have been steadily working

on the various forms of The

Exonerated, a documentary-

style play about death row,

directed by Bob Balaban. I

call it the Love Boat of The-

atre, as we have various

celebs coming in every week

(Mia Farrow, Bebe Neuwirth,

Gabriel Byrne, Richard Drey-

fuss, etc.) I, of course, remind

them of their worst film (“Jeff

Goldblum! You rocked in

Cats & Dogs!”). This summer,

I am also designing Antony &

Cleopatra upstate at the

Hudson Valley Shakespeare

Festival (www.hvshakespeare.

org), which is very exciting

and very big. In the fall, I will

be returning to NYU to be

a part of their prestigious

Graduate Design Program,

where I shall receive an MFA

in about three years. I am still

always grateful to Athenian

and all the lessons I learned

there, which carry me

through…

JEANNINE BELL — Five

years and counting…It’s

crazy to think that five years

ago, I began the first chapter

of my life post-Athenian and

now I’m starting another one.

After a year of working at

an IT consulting firm (in

Berkeley, CA) and traveling

all around the country and

Argentina (my home away

from home), this fall I am

starting my first year at USF

School of Law! I am planning

on studying international

corporate law, which will

hopefully lead to a job over-

seas. My five-year reunion

this June definitely re-sparked

my love for Athenian and my

classmates who I had so

much fun seeing (thank you

to all that came!). So besides

getting ready for law school,

traveling, and just enjoying

life, I have been working a lot

with the Alumni Council,

which I encourage you all to

get involved with! But I just

wanted to say hey and wish

you all continued success as

you pursue your dreams and

goals!

JILLIAN VARED — After

spending seven chilly months

working in Moldova I have

returned to Israel. I have been

spending most of my time

catching up with family and

friends. I originally thought

that I would head out to a

Kibbutz in the country — but

the life and beaches of the

16161616

Dear Alumni,Schools educate students and then sendthem away. Athenian, as a community oflearners, is much more. Athenian takespride in fostering both the intellectual andpersonal qualities of students so they candiscover who they are and have a life ofmeaning and fulfillment.

In a community such as this, one’s involve-ment doesn’t end. Alumni are important asmembers of the community, for they carrythe torch of the mission and they have aperspective on life and their experienceswhile here. They live and breathe theideals that were fostered, as well as theconvictions that were sowed.

Athenian sees you as a part of its communi-ty, not apart from it. Your presence enrichesour present and guarantees our future.

Fondly,

Eleanor

Please contact Kathy Hodson to obtain a user ID and a password to access the password-protected alumni website: kathy.hodson@athenian.org or 925.362.7212.

1998

171717

city convinced me that Tel

Aviv is where I want to be for

the next three months. So, I

found a great apartment

across from the beach and in

the center of Tel Aviv. I am liv-

ing with two guys—one Turk-

ish and one Israeli—they are

great guys.

I am going to be studying

Hebrew (again!!!) every day

for five hours while I am here

so that maybe this time I will

come out being a little closer

to fluent. I have also joined

this great sport club in the

center of Tel Aviv which has

been occupying a good

amount of my time. So, life is

good and I am having such a

great time going out with

friends and taking a few road

trips. At this point, I should be

back in California by the end

of September. I miss you all

and I hope that wherever you

are and whatever you are

doing is keeping you happy.

Please stay in touch.

STUART WATTS — Well…It

was really good to see every-

body and catch up. It had

been five years since I’ve seen

or heard from most of my ex-

classmates. The reunion was

a neutral environment to

catch up with everybody.

1999NICKU BASTANI — Thank

you very much, your “sort of”

alum is doing great things

with much of her success due

to the fantastic education

received at The Athenian

School! I am completing my

BA in Business Economics at

UCSB and starting my Mas-

ters in Marketing Research

with a full scholarship from

the University of Georgia this

summer. Very exciting times! I

believe my years at Athenian

taught me many important

lessons both in and out of the

classroom, and I hold the

school and its fabulous teach-

ers and staff in the very high-

est regard!

2000LAUREN BROWN — Life

has been very good. After tak-

ing a semester off from life at

Scripps College, I transferred

to the University of Puget

Sound, and have been in the

Pacific Northwest since July

of last year. I did an Outward

Bound sailing and moun-

taineering course before start-

ing school in August. It was

incredible — very different

from AWE and Death Valley

but just as moving, just as

energizing! OB is a great

organization to get involved

with and (hopefully, for me)

to work for. Since slipping

into life at UPS, I’ve gotten

heavily involved with the

Outdoor Programs activities,

taken my Wilderness First

Responder medical training,

and gotten out to see as much

Pacific Northwest natural

beauty as possible. Despite

the rain up here (it’s not as

bad as people say!), Seattle

and the wilderness areas are

still awesome places to

explore. I’ve declared a major

in Comparative Sociology

with an emphasis in Anthro-

pology and a minor in

Women’s Studies, and I co-

lead the feminist discussion

group on campus. Traveling

with Round Square at Athen-

ian and travels since then

opened my eyes, and I plan to

continue my travels after

college. I hope everyone from

the class of 2000 is doing

well!

MANDY NICOLES — I am

still at Boston University and

will be heading into my

senior year in the fall. Despite

the fact that this was the cold-

est winter that I have ever

experienced, I love being out

here in Beantown. I live right

in the city of Boston and I am

a short ten minute walk away

from Fenway Park. Let me tell

you there is nothing better

than walking around town

the night of a Yankees and

Red Sox game. As for school,

I am an Athletic Training

major and I have gotten the

opportunity to work with a

variety of Division I sports

teams, including working this

past semester over at Har-

vard. I absolutely love being

an Athletic Training major

and after graduation I am

hoping to pursue a career in

the Olympics. Unfortunately

this summer I will not be

returning to California, but

staying in Boston. I am look-

ing forward to enjoying the

city when I don’t have my

nose buried in a book. Over-

all, I am doing really well

despite the harsh winters and

the stress of my program and

enjoying my time at Boston

University.

2002JIM SCOTT — So, I’ve been

very busy this year. I’ve been

taking a wide range of cours-

es, from Geology to Politics

to the History of Conscious-

ness. I love Santa Cruz. It is a

very lively campus and an

amazing student body. This

year I decided to join UCSC’s

first Track Club in 20 years.

I throw Shotput and Discus.

I’m loving improving and

learning. I will be traveling to

different universities in the

next five weeks to participate

in large T&F events against

some of the best athletes in

the state. I am playing the

local Open Mike circuit and

enjoying the stage time. The

audiences are friendly and

there are a number of very

talented musicians. UCSC

isn’t for everyone, but if you

liked Athenian as much as I

did, UCSC is a good place.

17171717

Athenian is both a challenging and supportive community. It gave me the tools

to think critically and the space and support to grow

personally. The Athenian experience has served me far

beyond my years spent as a student. Without the

School’s scholarship support, I would not have been

able to attend Athenian. As an alum, I am compelled

to give back to the School in whatever way I can, to

make the experience I had at Athenian possible for

someone else. — Shoshana Ziblatt ’92

181818181818

It was a great year!by Kathy Hodson, Associate Director of Communications

This year’s alumni events culminated with three gather-ings, two at the end of May and the annual alumnireunion the day after graduation.

The Class of 2003 was celebrated at an alumni mixer atNicola Place ‘76 and Chris Beeson’s home in Diablo,where several alumni gathered to share their spirit andenthusiasm with the “almost” graduated seniors.

On a blustery, hot spring day, we inducted the Class of2003 into the alumni organization. Twenty-four alumni,some taking time away from their work, joined theseniors at a barbecue lunch. It was great to also have thesupport of a large alumni contingency just home forsummer break.

Both of these events were successful. Consequently, wehave scheduled the senior alumni mixer for this fall,just prior to the first Fine Arts production in the newCenter for the Arts. Keeping to the same schedule, wewill again induct the Class of 2004 into the alumni orga-nization in late May. A postcard will be mailed in theearly fall to all alums that will provide the dates of the2003-04 events. This schedule and additional informa-tion will also be posted on Athenian’s website.

The alumni reunion is always a wonderful blend ofAthenians gathering on campus to renew relationships

and return, maybe for the first time in 25 or 30 years.Whatever the time lapse, for many, once they set foot oncampus, truly remarkable emotions surface and theyhave a great time. So often, I hear, “I wasn’t going tocome, but I’m so glad I did!”

That being the case, folks from the Classes of ‘73, ‘78,‘83, ‘88, ‘93 and ‘98 joined together this year to partyand catch up. Kudos to the Class of ‘98! Thanks toJeannine Bell and her outstanding organizing talents,her classmates turned out in record numbers!

Several dedicated alumni met the first week of June toevaluate this year’s alumni events and to begin planningfor next year. The organizing and the work aren’t diffi-cult; the challenge continues to be recruiting alumniwilling to commit valuable time to this effort.

Please read over the goals the Alumni Council hasagreed to pursue this year. To be successful, we needother alumni, now, to get involved and share your spir-it and talents with this group and your love of Athenianwith our current students.

Yes, it’s been a great year! My heartfelt thanks to Ed Ellis,each alum, alumni parent, faculty and staff member ofthe Athenian community that support efforts to allow allalumni to remain connected to The Athenian School.

THE CLASS OF 2003

Class of 1983

Sally Swarts, Arlene Ustin, Ian Bevin, Jennifer Granger, Nick Bonnell, Andrew Petty, Kimberly Parker, Raju Mann Ward, Sangita Shah

The special bouquet, sent by Colleen and Clint Reimer, was in honor of their son, Craig Reimer ’83 who is deceased.

Alumni Council Seeks VolunteersThe Alumni Council, which governs the AlumniOrganization and plans events, is reaching out for prospec-tive Council members. Our goal is to obtain a broad spec-trum of representation. We are looking for volunteers fromthe late 60s, early 70s, 80s and 90s especially. We are the liaison between The Athenian School and alumni, which promotes and supports the mission, policies and goals of the school.

We would like to encourage you to contact Shoshana Ziblatt’92, shoshanavz@yahoo.com or Kathy Hodson, kathy.hodson@athenian.org, to join us for a meeting or get infor-mation about the Alumni Council. Dates and times of themeetings will be posted on the alumni website.

ALUMNI ORGANIZATION MISSION STATEMENTThe Athenian Alumni organization connects alumni to one another and to the school, providing acohesive sense of the Athenian community — past, present and future, as well as opportunities toengage in education, communication, and service with current students, in the spirit of the school’smission and tradition.

2003-2004 GOALS FOR THE ALUMNI COUNCIL ■ Establish a Development Commit-

tee that works closely with theDevelopment Office on increasedalumni participation in the annualfund.

■ Establish an Events Committee thatcollaborates with the DevelopmentOffice on alumni events.

■ Expand professional and educa-tional opportunities for all alumni,but in particular for young alumni.

■ Establish the alumni council as aneffective ongoing leadership teamthat expands all areas of alumniinvolvement.

Class of 1973David Corral, Jim Pugh, Virginia Stein, Jeff Stark, Deary Duffie, Claudia Finkle, Jim Johnson

Class of 1988: Ariel Weintraub, Ricardo Aguirre, John Kohler, Danielle Glosser, Bill Hughes

Kristin Price ’93,Aaron Rall, Jill Henle-Rall ’93,Monique Vegh ’94, Tina Nott

2100 Mount Diablo Scenic BoulevardDanville, California 94506-2002

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit 818

San Francisco, CA

Class of 1998

Shana Levine ’80,Ken Zaballos ’78,Bruce Walters ’78,Bea Winslow ’75,Jonathan Winslow’77, Sandra Kavanau ’74

Reunion 2003Reunion 2003