Highlander Summer 2011

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s u m m e r 2 0 1 1

A Culture of Thinking is Growing at St. Margaret’s

26 Faculty ProfilesAcquaint yourself with two of St. Margaret’s

exceptional and gifted faculty members

34 Class NotesLearn about the lives of fellow alumni,

including “Notable” highlights

41 Looking BackA tribute to retiring grade 2 teacher

Carolyn Franck

42 Looking ForwardAn update on St. Margaret’s campus

development plan and a spotlight on the

Building on the Promise capital campaign

Chairs Trace and Lauren Chalmers

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 1

v o l u m e 2 3 , n u m b e r 2 s u m m e r 2 0 1 1

f e a t u r e s > >

3 Guideposts Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut discusses what

cultivates St. Margaret’s dynamic learning culture

4 News & NotesGet the scoop on what’s been happening at

St. Margaret’s lately

8 A Day in the Life Of . . .Lower SchoolSee how Lower School students spend their

days throughout the week

17 By the NumbersThe composition of St. Margaret’s Episcopal

School community

18 Open Spaces: Student Short Story and ArtworkShowcasing award-winning student writing

and visual arts talent

20 Side by SideStudent and teacher discuss the grade 7

research unit and this year’s topic:

Internet Neutrality

departm

ents

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster

Highlander magazine is published by theCommunications and Marketing Office as a St. Margaret’s Episcopal School community magazine.

Editorial DirectorAnne Mack

EditorNicole Peddy

Copy EditorJennifer Perez

Editorial Board Jeannine Clarke, Jeneen Graham, Stephen Harrington,Marcus D. Hurlbut, Anne Mack, Nicole Peddy

ContributorsRoland Allen, Lora Allison, Ingrid Andrews, DavidBeshk, Anna Brower, Jamie Bunch, ClaytonChalmers, Lauren Chalmers, Trace Chalmers, JustinCheng, Blakely Collier, Lori Donchak, Lore Fredette,Melody Hernandez, Fredrick Hudoff, Carol AnnIngalls, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Jeni Johnson, Marisa Jue,Matt Kanan, Spencer Keane, Spencer Kushner, Anne Mack, Regina McDuffie, Peighton McRobie,Lisa Merryman, Joanne Pate, Jennifer Perez, Jennifer Ross-Viola, Darcy Rice, Austin Russell,Shannon Russell, Michele Silverman, Ian Tacquard,David Weaver

Please send comments, questions, letters and submissions for “Open Spaces” to:

Highlander magazineSt. Margaret’s Episcopal School 31641 La NoviaSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752(949) [email protected]; www.smes.org

Please include your name, address, e-mail addressand phone number with your letter or submission.Letters and “Open Spaces” may be edited for content and grammar.

St. Margaret’s publishes responsibly. Highlandermagazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper that contains 25 percentpostconsumer recycled content, using soy-basedinks made from renewable resources such as natural pigments and vegetable oils.

Highlander, Volume 23, Number 2. Summer 2011.

O N T H E C O V E R

St. Margaret’s school-wide garden—a living, outdoor learning laboratory on campus for students, teachers and families. Inside front: More than 400 Lower School students took overGateway Field for this year’s Tartan Trot jog-a-thon on April 1.

Inside back: On the last day of the 2010-2011school year, seniors signed a structural beam thatwas hoisted during the topping out ceremonymarking the highest point of construction of thePerforming Arts Center.

2 h i g h l a n d e r

features

11

23A School Garden

Growing Sustainabilityand Community

The building and future of St. Margaret’s

school-wide garden

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational or hiring policies, admissions policies, financial aid, athletic or other school-administered programs.

A Culture of ThinkingStudent profiles illustrate St. Margaret’s culture

of thinking

29Thriving in CollegeAlumni from the Class of 2010 reflect on

their first year of college

32Finding Something

UnexpectedThe process and achievements of alumnus

Matt Kanan’s budding career as a researcher

and experimentalist

St. Margaret’s embraces and inspires thinkers!

Our coordinated Preschool through grade 12

curriculum engages every student in learning,

creative and critical thinking, decision making

and problem solving. By connecting new

knowledge with the depth and range of previous

experiences, our curriculum prepares our students to be

future leaders and moral citizens of tomorrow.

We are pleased to present you with the summer 2011

Highlander magazine bringing to life on its pages our vibrant,

nurturing community through feature stories on our

innovative and talented students and faculty, alumni and

faculty profiles, student works and notable accomplishments.

This publication will provide a snapshot of what makes up

our close-knit community, our thinking-based learning

approach and how we incorporate differentiated instruction

to meet the needs of each individual learner.

Throughout this publication, you will read about outstanding

models of our culture of thinking, see the inspired mentality

that has built our school-wide garden—a living, outdoor

learning laboratory on campus for students, teachers and

families; a dedicated senior’s initiation of a student-driven

costume design program on campus; a sophomore who

challenged his creativity, innovation and critical-thinking

skills to invent two patent-pending systems; and witness an

alumnus who is conducting research and inspiring and

leading a group of graduate students at Stanford University

to develop a process that will allow us not to have to rely on

plants to convert sunlight into fuel.

St. Margaret’s stands as a guidepost for its students, families,

faculty and staff. It is a safe and nurturing environment where

all are encouraged and inspired to explore and empowered

to take risks. It is our curriculum and our meaningful

thought that cultivates our dynamic learning environment.

G U I D E P O S T S

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 3

B y M a r c u s D . H u r l b u t , H e a d m a s t e r

“St. Margaret’s stands as a guidepost for its

students, families, faculty and staff. It is a safe

and nurturing environment where all are

encouraged and inspired to explore and

empowered to take risks. It is our curriculum

and our meaningful thought that cultivates

our dynamic learning environment.”


N E W S & N O T E S

In December, renowned constitutional law scholar andFounding Dean of the University of California, Irvine Schoolof Law Erwin Chemerinsky spoke to St. Margaret’s Middleand Upper School students about the U.S. Constitution. Prior to his presentation, Mr. Chemerinsky met withHeadmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut’s constitutional law class for a more intimate discussion. Students asked about his recentlypublished book, his teachings and his recent court cases.

In March, senior Johnny Li was one of 40 high school 2011Intel Science Talent Search finalists invited to Washington,D.C. to meet with President Barack Obama. While in D.C.,he also had the opportunity to meet with scientists and publicly display his work titled, “Effects of Cell Compressibility,Motility and Contact Inhibition on the Growth of Tumor CellCluster.” In May, Johnny was named California State ScienceFair Student of the Year and also qualified for the 2011 U.S.Physics Team. His Upper School career concluded as theClass of 2011 Valedictorian.

Johnny Li Visits the White House,is Named CA State Science FairStudent of the Year and Qualifiesfor the 2011 U.S. Physics Team

In February, St. Margaret’s Band Director Chris Carbajal and 16 Middle and Upper School band students attended the California Association of Independent School’s Seventh Annual Southern SectionHonor Music Festival at the Viewpoint School in Calabasas. The festival included band, strings orchestraand chorus elements. Three members of the St. Margaret’s percussion section were also asked to accompany the honor string orchestra on John Williams’ Trilogy.

St. Margaret’s Concert Band Performs in the CAIS Honor Band

Eight St Margaret’s students traveled to University ofSouthern California to compete in the 2011 JuniorEngineering Technical Society (JETS) in March. The studentsfinished as the top team in their school level division, tookfirst place over all teams competing at USC and took firstplace in Division 2 for all of California. The JETS TEAMSprogram is an annual high school competition challengingstudents to work collaboratively and apply their math andscience knowledge in practical, creative ways to solve realeveryday engineering challenges.

St. Margaret’s JETS Team Takes First Place at Competition

A Lesson in Constitutional Lawwith Erwin Chemerinsky

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 5

In-depth exploratory learning launched in early February as students started using engaging technology to learn programming, engineering and robotics, while also applying the concepts of math and design. Through this, students learned important engineering, math and computer scienceconcepts as well as creative problem solving and working collaboratively. The programs in placeinclude the introduction of PicoCrickets to grade 3 students, Bee-Bots in kindergarten and grade 1,and Middle School students designing games using Scratch.

In February, 20 St Margaret’sstudent artists were represented at the openingreception of the YouthArtist Society Gallery atthe Laguna Beach ArtMuseum. Student artwork was on displayfrom February 27 – May 15. St. Margaret’s

students grappled with thecomplex idea of cultural

identity and explored cultural identifiers they connected strongly with such as: family, heritage, race, aesthetics, age, religion, ethnicity, location andgender. The artwork was completed by students in introductory photography and Advanced Placement 2D design.

In April, seven juniors and 12 seniors were inducted into the Cum Laude Society, an international honors organizationfor which only a small percentage of high school juniors and seniors are qualified. St. Margaret’s is one of only 370 chapters throughout the world, and the only Cum Laudeschool in Orange County.

Student Artwork Displayed atLaguna Beach Art Museum

Robotics Week Inspires Students to Explore Abstract Learning

Hannah Hess and Colin Shaffer, two seniors with leadingathletic and academic records, served for the first time as Jr. Dignitaries for the 2011 Swallows’ Day Parade held inMarch. Hannah, Miss Fiesta, and Colin, Jr. Señor San Juan,represented the Fiesta Association and St. Margaret’s.

Thanks to the Parent Teacher Fellowship’s generous grant, the new music technology workstations for the music department were installed in early 2011. Three cutting-edgeiMac computers with a range of digital audio software provided students with tools for practicing their ensemble

parts, composition andtraining in music theory.Workstations were used by the Upper Schoolorchestra to work on the score for the musical theatre production of Jane Eyre, and by theLower School orchestras.

New Music Workstations ProvideState-of-the-Art Technology

To read more St. M

argaret’s news, visit Tartan Today

online at tartantoday.org

Cum Laude Society Inducts 19St. Margaret’s Students

Seniors Named Jr. Dignitaries forthe 2011 Swallows Day Parade


N E W S & N O T E S (Continued)

St. Margaret’s Upper School performing arts presented fivesold-out performances of Jane Eyre in April. After the finalperformance, Lee Childress, renowned theater expert andfounder of the MACY’s Awards for achievements in excellence in high school musical theater, commended theentire cast for their superb performance.

A month later, the Orange County Cappies announced thenominees and commendees for the 2010-11 theatre season.St. Margaret’s received 17 nominations for Blithe Spirit andJane Eyre in performing, design, technical and critical categories.Additionally, out of 33 schools, St. Margaret’s was the onlyschool nominated for both Best Play and Best Musical.

This year’s Spring Fundraiser, “Tartans on Broadway,” included a special presentation byHeadmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut who issued the Treasured Tartan Award to past Parent TeacherFellowship President Kelly Collier. Alumna Paige Selby also attended the event and talked aboutthe Fund a Need initiative, a new robotics, engineering and innovation studio. Event Chair Lisa Payne, along with her committee and all the countless volunteers executed a successful event.

May marked the 30th anniversary of the longest standing PTF tradition, the Library Luncheon.This year’s British-inspired Library Luncheon: “A Royal Celebration,” took place at BlenheimFarms. The event was able to raise funds for faculty and staff grants thanks to the commitmentand dedication of Event Chair Nancy Patch, Co-Chair and PTF President Tricia Raymund, tablehostesses and the gentlemen of St. Margaret’s, who volunteered as table servers for the event.

St. Margaret’s Community and the PTF Celebrates Tartans on Broadway and the 30th Annual Library Luncheon

Jane Eyre Receives High Praise from MACY’s Awards Founder and St. Margaret’s Theatre Program Captures 17 Cappies Nominations

St. Margaret’s Trustee Dr. Mohamed El-Erian visited St. Margaret’s in the spring to speak with Upper School students about the revolution in Egypt. Dr. El-Erian drewupon his personal and international business experience toexplain the sudden and tumultuous turn of events in thecountry with a riveting presentation entitled, “Egypt’s Uprising:Its Meaning and What Comes Next.” Dr. El-Erian’s eloquentspeech gave the students an inside look at the power ofEgypt’s revolution and the force of determined citizens.

In Egypt, By Egypt, For Egypt

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 7

From the Sports Field

To read more St. M

argaret’s news, visit Tartan Today

online at tartantoday.org

Grade 8 Students Win Top Honors at Orange County Science andEngineering Fair and Middle School Student Wins First Place atCalifornia State Science Fair

Each year, grade 8 students are required to create a project and participate in St. Margaret’s Science Fair in February. Ten out of the top 25 students went on to participate in this year’s Orange County Science and Engineering Fair.

In May, David Weaver, grade 8, placed first in the Fluid/Aerodynamics/ Thermo-physics category of the California State Science Fair for his project: “A Wind TurbinesAbility to Power a Car’s Electrical Components and Reduce its Carbon Footprint.” He wasawarded a gold medal and qualified to enter the Broadcom MASTERS™ (math,applied science, technology, and engineering for rising stars), the national science,technology, engineering and math competition for U.S. students in grades 6, 7 and 8.

St. Margaret’s athletics program had many accomplishmentsthis year including The Orange County Register ranking it thirdin the county among the top 25 athletic programs. Additionalaccomplishments include:

Tartan Girls’ Soccer Team Makes HistoryIn March, the girls’ varsity soccer team won its first CIFChampionship in St. Margaret’s history. The team recorded themost wins in a season (26) for any St. Margaret’s soccer teamand had the longest consecutive unbeaten streak in OrangeCounty (25 matches). Varsity Girls’ Head Coach JohnnyMarmelstein was also awarded Girls’ Soccer Orange CountyRegister Coach of the Year.

Girls’ Lacrosse Captures Division 2 South CountyChampionshipIn May, the St. Margaret’s girls’ lacrosse team captured the U.S.Lacrosse Division 2 Consolation South County Championship.The team defeated the number one seed Capistrano ValleyHigh School Cougars 13-12.

Tartan Wrestling Team The last time the Tartan wrestling program had individualsqualify for the post season CIF tournament was during the2007-2008 season. This year, four students qualified for postseason competition: seniors Charles Cox and Kyle Larrabee,sophomore David Sparks and junior Nicolas Toubia.

Track & Field CIF Finals The St. Margaret’s track and field team claimed two LeagueChampionships in May. The girls’ team defended its title, finishing 128 points ahead of the second place team. FollowingLeague Finals, a record 21 Tartans advanced to CIF Prelims.

Tartan Lacrosse Notches 100th WinThe St. Margaret’s boys’ lacrosse team captured its 100th program victory in March with a win against Tesoro HighSchool. The Orange County Register also named CoachManning as the 2011 Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year.

Swimming and Diving Athletes Win League The Tartan aquatics team completed its regular season at the Academy League Swimming and Diving Finals in May. Nearly all of the swimmers, on both the varsity and junior varsity teams posted personal season records.


In the Lower School, the day begins with students andteachers meeting in the classroom at 8 a.m. to welcomeand greet each other and organize the day. They convene and walk together to Lower School Chapel.The daily Chapel service is a gathering of the entirestudent body. It’s a time of daily centering, spiritual

reflection, song and convocation. Led by school chaplains, thispurposeful start to the day allows students to understand and explore traditions, character and develop a sense of community and camaraderie.

Teachers lead their students back to their classrooms to focuson growth, learning and well-being, especially in four coreaspects of child development: academic, social, emotional and spiritual.

A rich and comprehensive Lower School curriculum of reading, writing, math, science, social studies, visual and performing arts, social sciences, physical education, computerliteracy, science, foreign language and an understanding offaith traditions well prepares them for future success in St. Margaret’s rigorous college-preparatory curriculum.Critical-thinking, creativity, problem solving, exploration andcollaboration skills are nurtured in every subject through afocus on enduring understandings and essential questions.

The St. Margaret’s Lower School has small classes, with ateacher-to-student ratio of 10:1. This enables teachers to differentiate instruction—to know every student and meetand support them where they are in their learning. TheLower School is structured on a six-day schedule to support

A D A Y I N T H E L I F E O F . . . L O W E R S C H O O L

8 a.m. Instruction begins. Students are gathered by their teachers from the Lower School playground and escorted to their classrooms for a day of instruction.

8:10—8:30 a.m.Chapel. Students of all faiths and denominationscome together four times weekly to explorecommon bonds, create awareness of the needs of others and deepen relationships. > > 8:35—9:55 a.m.

Students in grades 1 - 3 participate in English language arts instruction in their respective classrooms.

B y N i c o l e P e d d y

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 9

the breadth of the curriculum offerings. The schedule alsoallows for grade-level planning to ensure consistency ininstruction and support of every student. Faculty, teachingassistants, Library and Student Academic Support Center educators strive to create a physically and emotionally safeenvironment where students are motivated to learn andempowered to take risks because they feel comfortable and loved.

“Our expert faculty use differentiated instruction to meet theneeds of the various individual learners in their classrooms,”said Academic Dean and Lower School Principal Dr. ReginaMcDuffie. “Teachers differentiate for learning ability andlearning style by using assessments before instruction to getto know what students are interested in, how they approachlearning and where they are developmentally.” For additionalinformation, see Dr. McDuffie’s article, “What is DifferentiatedInstruction?” in the March/April 2011Tartan newsletter.

Physical EducationStudents attend physical education classes two to three days aweek. During these periods, students will develop sportsmanship,teamwork, and leadership abilities through developmentallyappropriate competition.

The reading and writing instruction is conducted withinsmall groups allowing students to read and write at their owninstructional level and be appropriately supported, one-on-one with their teacher. Math incorporates both the learningof traditional skills as well as conceptual understanding. Inaddition to Chapel services four times a week, students attend Christian life skills class each week to develop spiritualawareness, deepen their relationship with God, build moralcharacter and learn about other faiths and cultures. Beginningin kindergarten, Lower School students are also introduced to the Spanish language through conversational and academicSpanish. The curriculum sets a solid grounding for success in foreign language study throughout their lives and inspiresunderstanding, excitement and confidence about foreign language and other cultures.

In addition to expansive technology resources to support student learning and skills across all subject areas, students areengaged in technology through learning programming,

> >

10—10:45 a.m.Recess. After a morning of classroom time,kindergarten students venture outdoors to enjoythe Lower School playground during recess. Thisis a time for students to use their social skillswhile engaging in games and activities.

10:10—11:45 a.m.Students in grades 1 - 3 embark on instruction in special subjects including: art, Christian lifeskills, library, music, science, physical educationand Spanish.

10:30—11:00 a.m.Grade 5 students continue their morning instruction with one of the following: math, reading, science, social studies or writing.

House LeaguesThe St. Margaret’s House League system was established in the British tradition of longstanding teams that encourage team spirit and support. Children entering the Lower School areplaced on one of four teams and usually remain on the sameteam throughout their Lower School years. House League teams accumulate points in athletic, service and citizenship competitions, and compete for rewards such as free-dress days.


engineering and robotics, while applying the concepts ofmath, science and design. Through these programs, studentscultivate challenging engineering, math and computer scienceconcepts, as well as creative problem solving and working collaboratively supporting our 21st century learning initiative.This year, the Lower School introduced robotics programs:PicoCrickets in grade 3, and Bee-Bots in kindergarten andgrade 1. Additionally, next year, students in grades 2-4 will beworking in a small Lower School garden growing seedlingsfor the larger school garden (see “A School Garden GrowingSustainability and Community” on page 23). They will learnabout composting, water sources, the implication of water on our food, garden-to-table concepts, develop naturalistintelligence and an appreciation for the Earth.

“Our STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)program is aimed at helping to prepare our students for thedemands of our rapidly changing world,” said Dr. McDuffie.“We want to introduce engineering concepts as early as possible and make our students aware of their role in environmental sustainability. We accomplish this in many ways but we are particularly excited about our new ecologyand robotics programs.”

As the day comes to a close at 3 p.m., students pack theirbags before heading home or perhaps to an after-school clubsuch as art, choir, chess, computers, cooking, dance, drama,foreign language, sports, math or science where learning continues with St. Margaret’s faculty. �

10:45 a.m.—12:15 p.m.Kindergarten students take this time to focus on special subjects such as computers, social studies and Spanish.

1:15—2:30 p.m.Kindergarten students participatein math and social science instruction, as well as have a short rest.

12:15—1:00 p.m.Lunch for Lower School students is staggeredthroughout the day. Students sit together byclassroom, and have a PTF hot lunch or a lunchthey have brought from home on the LowerSchool picnic tables. Grade 5 students have lunch during this time.

DramaThe Lower School theatre program is a process-oriented, experientially-based program available to students in grades 1-5. Educational theatre at St. Margaret’s reflects the school’s corevalues where inclusion and participation are emphasized. Theannual Lower School musical provides the framework for teaching theatre at this age level. All Lower School students whoaudition are cast in the play.

Technology LabLower School students learn to use technology as an effectivetool promoting critical thinking, creative problem-solving, communication, collaboration and productivity to prepare themto be lifelong learners and global citizens in the 21st century.Computer instruction in kindergarten-grade 2 has an emphasison technology skill development. Grades 3-5 begin digital medialiteracy while increasing their exposure to emerging technologies.

Music and ChoirFor kindergarten-grade 3, children develop their music awarenessthrough singing, movement and understanding of basic musicconcepts and terminology. The concert band and orchestra programs is open to grades 4 and 5 and introduces students tothe technical fundamentals of playing a musical instrument, alongwith reading music. The choir program exposes students to avariety of music and provides a fun, quality musical experience.Participation in the after-school Piper’s Choir program is available, as well as beginning choir for grades 4 and 5.

1—3 p.m.Grade 4 students spend their afternoon filled with special subjectsincluding: art, music, science, physical education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) instruction.

Culture of

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 11

I can remember as a student encountering problems that Icouldn’t solve. Often the response from teachers or sometimesmy parents would be, “think harder, you can figure it out.”This response is problematic because it didn’t provide mewith deliberate and explicit instruction. A better responsewould be: How did you attempt to solve the problem? Whatstrategies did you use? What thought process or patternoccurred in your head when you were trying to solve theproblem? Can you restate the problem and possible solutions?What would result from these solutions? Which result do you think is best?

Research suggests that in performing any thinking task themost skillful thinkers “deliberately guide their own use ofproductive mental behaviors and skillful thinking proceduresto think about relevant and significant content in order tocomplete the thinking task effectively.” (Swartz et. al, 2008).Over the past three years, St. Margaret’s has collaborated with

University of California, Irvine on a 21st century learningresearch study. As a result of this study we learned that teachers at St. Margaret’s regularly emphasized what the UCIresearchers call, “expert thinking skills,” such as problem solving, synthesis, evaluation and self-reflection. Expert thinking is an important concept because it requires studentsto problem solve like experts in the field. Essentially, studentsare asked to think strategically about problems the way anexpert would—like a scientist, think like an historian or an engineer.

As we all know, problems of the 21st century cannot besolved by solely individual experts instead, teamwork is oftenneeded to come to a solution. A second finding of the UCIresearch team is that classroom activities at St. Margaret’s regularly provided students the ability to work independently

> >

Thinking-based learning is essential for our students as the 21st century challenges itsfuture leaders to be reflective about their own learning process as they tackle complexproblems collaboratively and creatively. Some might think that asking students to engagein activities that require them to think critically is sufficient for learning how to think, butthat is not the case. In order to develop a thinking culture in a school, teachers need to go beyond activities and build specific opportunities into the curriculum where studentsreflect upon and assess their thinking. Students need to be taught what course of actionmight be best given the specific problem they are trying to solve so they can eventuallydirect their own thinking.

B y A c a d e m i c D e a n a n d L ow e r S c h o o l P r i n c i p a l D r . R e g i n a M cD u f f i e

A Culture of Thinking


and collaboratively in a creative manner. We want our St.Margaret’s graduates to take on leadership roles in industry,science, technology, politics, etc… In order to do this, weneed to teach them to generate new ideas and add to thecurrent knowledge base. It is through learning how to thinkboth critically and creatively that our students will be leaders.

The following profiles on St. Margaret’s students and theirprojects illustrate a thinking culture. These students haveexplored subject matter for which they had interest and passion. They tackled complex areas of study and problems,brought new perspective and original thought and creativeideas, executed a strategic thinking process to create solutions,test their work and preserve through setbacks. Blakely, Austin,Peighton, Clayton and Mrs. Fredette’s P4 class, are exemplarymodels of our culture of thinking.

Telling Her Story Through CostumesB y N i c o l e P e d d y

For many people being the president of their high schoolstudent body would be the highlight of their school career,but for senior Blakely Collier, there is so much more. Blakelyhas made an impact on the theatre stage, within student life,on the golf course, and as a prominent voice in the St.Margaret’s community. At this year’s Upper School Awardsceremony, she was given The Bishop’s Award – awarded tothe senior who has set an example of overall achievement,combining an excellent academic record with exemplaryservice to the school. Having attended St. Margaret’s sincekindergarten, this fall Blakely will move on to lend her talentsto the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

“Blakely is hands-down the most talented student I have everencountered,” said Lora Allison, director of community life.“She is creative, selfless, dedicated and driven. Blakely has theability to inspire students, juggle many things in an effortlessway, and lead by example. Many aspects of the AssociatedStudent Body rely on Blakely’s ability to carry out a plan orto dream up a concept. Quite simply, she doesn’t disappoint.She does all of this while maintaining a keen perspective andhas the ability to work equally well with adults and students.”

Throughout her years at St. Margaret’s, Blakely has served the student body with endless determination. She was St.Margaret’s Associated Student Body president this past schoolyear, part of the girls’ varsity golf team, and spent a fourthseason as lead costumer for the Arts. Through her manyaccomplishments Blakely will be remembered, but her pioneering of a student-driven costume design program willbe her most significant legacy.

“I’ve always been interested in sewing and putting clothestogether,” said Blakely. “I asked my parents for a sewingmachine when I was 10 years old.”

Starting as an actor in Lower and Middle School productions,Blakely’s worldview soon expanded and she decided that shewanted to assist in creating the vision of a production ratherthan performing onstage. Her first experiences in costumescame while she was in Middle School, under the direction of Costume Designer Melinda Keane. She helped sew forLower School productions of Annie, jr. and Cinderella, and theMiddle School production of Seussical.

During Blakely’s freshman year, she designed and built herfirst solo production, The Crucible.

“My first impression of Blakely’s design work was that shehad a clear understanding of the role that costume plays intelling the story. Her enthusiasm for the work, plus herproven expertise while she was still in Middle School, mademe willing to give her the responsibility of the entire costume design for The Crucible,” said Darcy Rice, director of the Arts at St. Margaret’s.

Later that year, Blakely assisted Mrs. Keane on the very complex costumes of Les Misérables. Blakely went on todesign costumes for Metamorphoses, Children of Eden, Childrenof a Lesser God, Into the Woods, Blithe Spirit and Jane Eyre. Sheearned Cappie nominations for her work on Metamorphosesand Into the Woods. This year, Blakely won a Cappie for Best Costumes for her work on Jane Eyre. The Cappies is anational program that recognizes achievement in high schoolarts and drama programs.

“Blakely’s vision for costume design comes out of her greatlove for theatre. She understands the collaborative nature of the art, and sees her costume work as an integrated part of the production as a whole,” said Mr. Rice. “She is able toincorporate the director’s vision, the scenic and lightingdesigners’ concepts and the needs of the actors into her personal artistic vision for the production.”

Over the past four years, Blakely has built hundreds of costume pieces on her own for Upper School plays andmusicals, as well as creatively pulling and combining itemsfrom St. Margaret’s costume collection to outfit the actors inthe annual 24-Hour Playwriting Festival and Upper SchoolStudio Plays. Blakely has also produced two fashion shows for St. Margaret’s annual Coffee House Cabaret.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 13

“Blakely understands the important distinction between costume and clothing, and her creative design work hasalways taken the particular needs of each production inmind,” said Mr. Rice.

Prior to Blakely, costumes for St. Margaret’s Upper Schoolproductions were primarily designed and made by parentvolunteers. Now, a student-driven costume design program,inspired by Blakely and her interests, is in place at St.Margaret’s. Mrs. Keane is currently mentoring severalyounger students in the art of costume design.

“St. Margaret’s has given me opportunity, support andencouragement from the faculty and staff to step out, try newthings and start programs that don’t already exist,” said Blakely.

Born to be an InventorSophomore Austin Russell was born to be an inventor; hespends most of his spare time searching for ways to improvelives through innovative technology. St. Margaret’s 21st century approach to teaching has allowed a STEM (science,technology, engineering and math) student such as Austin toexplore his area of passion and challenge his creativity, innovation and critical-thinking skills.

“For as long as I can remember, I have been interested inengineering and technology,” said Austin. “When I was inpreschool, I was experimenting with water and prisms, andalso spent many weekends at the Discovery Science Center.Our class was asked by the teacher, ‘Who do you admiremost?’ When I answered, ‘Bill Gates,’ most of the studentslooked confused and said, ‘Who is that?!’”

Austin joined St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in the sixthgrade because he wanted to be challenged in science andmath. St. Margaret’s was able to provide this opportunity toAustin with hands-on challenges that encouraged critical-thinking skills. Austin’s first challenge was in Mr. DylanWade’s grade 6 science classroom where students were askedto create an earthquake proof building. Working with newlylearned math skills and architectural research, Austin’s groupwon the challenge by collaborating and designing a structurethat would withstand the force of an earthquake.

By grade 7, Austin took his newly acquired computer skillsbeyond the classroom. Out of “necessity,” he decided toresearch ways to convert his Nintendo DS into a cell phone.“When I asked for a cell phone, my parents said no, but theyjokingly told me that I was free to invent one,” said Austin.After three months of research and development, Austinfound success. While riding home on the St. Margaret’s bus,he called his mother from the converted Nintendo DSdevice. “At first my mom didn’t believe me, but then Iexplained to her how I wrote some code to modify its functions,” said Austin.

By the time Austin was 12 years old he wanted to explorethe engineering side of technology. He began to study software systems as well as hardware. He soon collaboratedwith various groups online in order to learn coding. Hebecame a member of the Windows 7 Beta developmentteam, and was tasked with testing and “de-bugging” codes.Austin took an analytical approach to problem solving bystudying irregular patterns in the coding, and comparing his results with other programmers online.

Although Austin worked on many projects at home, it wasthe Grade 8 Science Fair that allowed him to demonstrate histhinking skills to others. His project was an undergroundwater recycling device that connects to a municipal watersupply and can be operated remotely. The system recycledmore than 95 percent of the water tested, and controlleddrainage runoff to environmentally sensitive areas. Austin wonfirst place at the California State Science Fair, and currentlyhas a patent pending on the system.

In grade 8, Austin participated in a video game programmingclass taught by Director of Academic Information TechnologyLynn Ozonian. In the Upper School, Austin began workingwith the digital media department, and learned how to operate the video equipment. This coming school year, Austinwill learn additional programming in the AdvancedPlacement computer science course.

This past school year, the science department encouragedAustin to compete with the St. Margaret’s team in the 2011National Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) challenge. His science teacher, Mr. Joe Ingalls, traveled withthe team to University of Southern California, where theywon first place in their division for the state of California. InApril, Science Department Chair Dr. Jennifer Ross-Violasponsored Austin and his newest invention – a pocket-sizedcomputer that projects a virtual Windows 7 interactive screen onto any surface – at the Orange County Science &Engineering Fair. Austin won first place, the United StatesNavy Scholarship Award, and a special award from theInternational Society for Optics and Photonics. Austin combined numerous technologies and used the calculus helearned at St. Margaret’s to create algorithms and modify software. He currently has a second patent pending on this system.


“When Austin first described his invention to me, I thought,‘that seems like a pretty cool idea,’” said Dr. Ross-Viola. “But, when he brought it in to demonstrate it to the sciencedepartment, we were all completely astounded. He projecteda virtual keyboard onto the classroom desk and then begantyping on it. The words he was typing began appearing onthe screen of his Bluetooth-enabled phone. It’s really quite amazing.”

Today, Austin is being sponsored by companies such as Intelto build a supercomputer that will increase the computerprocessing speed of DNA sequencing and analysis via 3Dmodeling. When asked about his future plans, Austin said, “Iwould like to use the skills that I have learned at St. Margaret’sto continue creating solutions for real-world problems.”

The Emerging of an

Award-WinningWriterGrade 8 student Peighton McRobie’s creativity shinesthrough when she puts a pen to paper or sits in front of herkeyboard. Her writing inspiration comes from renownedauthor Ray Bradbury, best known for his novel Fahrenheit451, and from the sights, sounds and conversations that surround her. She relishes in Bradbury’s writing: “rich,descriptive and filled with emotion.”

“An idea will come to me and I dig deeper to find a uniqueway to write it,” said Peighton. “I like to write analyticalthings, but put my own twist on it.”

In the past two years, Peighton has become an accomplished,award-winning writer. In grade 7, she was awarded aCertificate of Merit at the Scholastic Arts and Writing competition, one of the most prestigious national competitionsdating back to 1923. The competition received more than165,000 submissions last year. Middle School English TeacherLori Donchak nominated Peighton’s essay titled, “Beauty in aShopping Bag.” Jurors looked for works that best exemplifyoriginality, technical skill and emergence of a personal vision.

“Peighton brings an exceptionally fresh voice to her writtenwork,” said Mrs. Donchak. “She writes with energy andinsight. Her eye for detail is spectacular and causes a reader toinstantly be involved. I had the good fortune to see Peighton’stalent come through in reflective writing, analytical essaysand, of course, creative writing. The high caliber is consistent.”

This school year, Peighton was among only 111 grade 8 students from across the United States to receive the highesthonor from the National Council of Teachers of English(NCTE). The competition asked students to respond to aspecific theme in an effort to standardize writing for evaluation. Peighton submitted her essay titled, “Magic Bus,”that, according to Peighton, “discusses who you are and what makes you who you are.” To see an excerpt from Peighton’sessay visit page 18.

“Peighton is such a successful writer because writing is ‘play’for her,” said Middle School English Teacher and EnglishDepartment Chair Jeni Johnson. “She fully invests herself inthe writing process and produces draft after draft of a pieceuntil it is polished. She’s attentive to details of word choiceand voice. Also, she seeks out feedback and is receptive tocoaching. In short, she’s an English teacher’s dream!”

Additionally, this year Peighton’s anonymous essay was selected for the annual grade 8 Tomb of the Unknowns essaycontest. As one of two contest winners, Peighton was honored with laying a wreath at The Tomb of the UnknownSoldier in Arlington National Cemetery during the grade 8trip to Washington D.C. in May. A total of four students laidthe wreath, the student council president and vice president,as well as the two essay contest winners. A total of 19 essayswere submitted by grade 8 students this year, the most todate. St. Margaret’s English and history teachers, together withMiddle School Director of Community Service and ActivitiesMrs. Amanda Hudson, read the essays and selected the winners. Peighton’s essay was written for the men who werenot recognized. She described one soldier’s passion for serving his country and the honor she would feel to lay thewreath at the site.

“In addition to her skill in writing, Peighton is just a greatgirl – she’s kind and supportive to her classmates, respectful of her parents and teachers, and always models the highestethical standards,” said Ms. Johnson.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 15

A Lower School Student’s

Mind at WorkBorn with a curiosity for learning, Clayton Chalmers, grade5, approaches and conceptualizes problems in new, innovativeways. He played the Tin Man in the 2011 Lower School play, Wizard of Oz, plays drums for the Tartan MarchingBand, has an affinity for politics, social and environmentalissues and has been part of the St. Margaret’s communitysince grade 1. This year, Clayton’s naturally inquisitive natureled him to come up with the idea for the Tartan Truck—an alternative fuel truck designed as a symbol of the St. Margaret’s community.

“I noticed a need for a school symbol that would set thestage for what St. Margaret’s is all about: innovation, science,history and community,” said Clayton.

Clayton has a long-standing love for cars and trucks. The ideafor the Tartan Truck came while Clayton chatted with hisparents about the commonality of branded trucks used asschool symbols throughout time. Clayton picked up a replicaof a University of California, Los Angeles (his father’s almamater) hot rod truck with a barbeque on the back as hismother told him, “When I was in high school, we had trucksthat the homecoming queens rode in on.”

Through this depiction, plus the thought that Clayton couldone day play his drums on the Tartan Field instead of in thestands, came the foundation for the Tartan Truck. Claytonbegan to do some preliminary research on what type of truckwould be needed, how and where it would be restored, andhow St. Margaret’s students could be involved and equip thetruck with an alternative fuel engine.

“Clayton has always been a creative and inspiring young person. I am constantly amazed at the ways he conceptualizescomplex concepts as to create ownership of the ideas. Hisability to engage in philosophical discussions that range frompolitics and environmental studies to cars and sports is waybeyond his years! I am excited to see the impact he will continue to have on our world,” said Clayton’s grade 5teacher David Beshk.

Currently, Clayton is looking for a truck that was made in1979, the year St. Margaret’s Episcopal School opened itsdoors. The truck will be restored with private funds andhoused at a private home or the garage of an experiencedrestoration company.

The Tartan Truck is projected to have several uses includingcarrying all of the heavy band instruments onto the field forsporting events; a focal point for band formations, utilizedduring rallies, home games and homecoming; and as anexceptional source of school spirit.

“We plan to purchase the truck and then start modernizing it with an alternative fuel source,” said Clayton. “We havealready spoken with several of St. Margaret’s interested science students and parents who are willing to help with the reconstruction of the truck’s engine and fuel source.Once the inside of the truck is transformed, we will startbranding the outside so it will truly be a traveling symbol of St. Margaret’s.”

“I think it’s wonderful that Clayton is taking the initiative toconvert a truck into an alternative fuel vehicle,” said ScienceDepartment Chair Dr. Jennifer Ross-Viola. “This should bean inspirational vehicle on many levels, from cheering on the spirit at Tartan events to helping our campus move forward with its sustainability initiatives. Of course, the mostimportant way that this truck can inspire is by encouragingmore students to get involved in science projects—this oneor others.”

A mentoring program with St. Margaret’s Middle and UpperSchool science students is also in the works. The students will be instrumental in the “greening” of the truck. They willcollaborate with each other and possibly professionals inoverhauling the truck’s engine.

Clayton hopes to have the truck completed by St. Margaret’s2012 Homecoming celebration.


tally. They didn’t stop at the borders of the Preschool. As citizens of the St. Margaret’s community, they decided toexplore the entire campus conducting a recycling audit.

The process took several weeks. They visited the LowerSchool, Middle School, business offices and made their wayto the Upper School where they saw firsthand the big kidstaking their responsibility seriously and recycling, just likethem.

“Recycling and sustainability ignited a passion in Room 8.They took seriously its importance in our community andtheir part in making sure it happened. When they saw others,including adults and older students, doing their part too, itgot them more excited,” said Mrs. Fredette. “It didn’t stop at school. Many parents said their children were raising the topic at the dinner table and at bedtime educating their families about ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ at home, too.”

Room 8 also engaged in planting and cultivating strawberries,carrots, radishes and snap peas. They learned plant lifecyclesand how to be patient through the growing season. They visited the campus garden, learned about soil mixing andtook note that their enthusiasm was shared by others. Theytasted what they grew, fed some to their Preschool pets andmade vegetable soup in class; using everything they grew.

Mrs. Fredette kept their interest piqued when she unloaded astockpile of recyclable materials, including cardboard, woodpieces, paper towel rolls, boxes, cans, etc. and asked the children what they should make with the recycled materials.They knew exactly what they wanted to do: build St.Margaret’s campus in recycled materials.

“The art project was a wonderful exercise in collaboration,creativity and problem solving. They had to decide, negotiateand compromise. They designed and built elaborate structures;they cut, glued and painted for weeks. They took the massiveproject outside and students from other classes got involved.Ultimately, it made the learning even better,” said Mrs. Fredette.

Preschool Director Ingrid Andrews said, “Community is acore value of a St. Margaret’s education and these studentsembraced it. Their work was about community, recycling,responsibility, but at the heart of this project and their entireschool year was nurturing their passion for learning. Theygained new skills in literacy, math, science exploration, critical thinking, socialization, problem solving and conflictresolution. The list goes on and on.”

At the end of the year, Mrs. Fredette responded to a requestfrom the St. Margaret’s Library to exhibit “green” projectsduring Earth Week. “I am very proud of the students. They were eager, motivated and passionate about their newdiscoveries and focused on their work,” said Mrs. Fredette.“The Library exhibition of the recycled art project was avery special and unexpected recognition for the class. It reinforced their place in the school and let them know thattheir work had real meaning and value to our community.” �

B y A n n e M a c k

Teaching her new class about recycling is a project Preschoolteacher Lore Fredette has explored every year for the past 10years at St. Margaret’s. She begins by explaining what they dowith trash, lunch leftovers, empty cans, used plastic, and thelocation of trash cans and recycle bins as a part of classroometiquette and school culture. Students are expected to throwaway their trash, recycle appropriate items, not be “litterbugs”and find ways to reuse materials.

While her Room 8 students are always engaged in the subject, she did not anticipate the enthusiasm and yearlongclass project that would unfold this year. “I think it was acombination of interest-level, opportunity for cross-curricularlearning and the school’s heightened focus on recycling and sustainability that laid the perfect foundation,” said Mrs. Fredette.

From the early discussions about recycling, the class’ focusevolved into an immersion of learning about “reduce, reuseand recycle.” They read books on the subject, sang songs,learned new words and how to write them. They had discussions about how to put their learning to work. Whenthey saw litter, Mrs. Fredette says, they perceived it as anoffense against the community and sought ways to right the wrong.

The students were engaged, passionate and learned the bigconcepts of waste, responsibility and community.

They learned about reusing and composting and putting theirunused lunch scraps, like apples and carrots, to work to feedtheir Room 8 pets Henny Penny (the Preschool chicken),Mr. Squeakers (Guinea pig) and Mr. Bitey Man (hamster) andthe earthworms in the composter. With Mrs. ShelleyHarmon, motor development specialist, who also runs thePreschool garden project, they learned the process of composting for enriching the garden soil. Back in the classroom, the young scientists learned the anatomy of earthworms, including that the worms have five hearts!

Next, the young conservationists took it upon themselves tocount recycle bins. Soon they were seeking blue binsthroughout the Preschool and adding them to their running

Recycling Lesson Turns Preschoolers into Environmentalists and Enthusiastic Learners

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B Y T H E N U M B E R S

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School is an inclusive, nurturing, close-knit community—a vibrantfamily of students, parents, educators and friends from different backgrounds, family structures, cultures and faiths. We believe our differences make a stronger community, help us to learn and grow,and ultimately guide lives of respect, understanding and service to one another. The St. Margaret’s community comes together in shared purpose to prepare our students to be productive, healthyand happy children today and moral citizens tomorrow. Take a look at a few aspects of our special community…by the numbers.

2125%51%49%3391112518%329

Faith backgrounds

of students are of color

of students are female

of students are male

Surrounding communities where ourfamilies live

Families

Students who ride the bus to school

of students receive some level of financialaid, totaling $2.9 million

Families who have more than one childattending St. Margaret’s


O P E N S P A C E S

Magic BusB y P e i g h t o n M cRo b i e , G r a d e 8

Received the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Award for Outstanding Writing

shopping cart full of miscellaneous scraps. Back and forth, backand forth. He jumped in anxiety as people passed him, noteven acknowledging his existence.

A runner stopped near this homeless man. This runnerlooked at him, his eyes filled with genuine concern. Helooked determined to help in anyway he could and ran hisfingers through his hair in frustration. I situated myself for aclearer view, wiping away the fog on the window, whichclouded the scene.

This nameless runner reached into his pocket, and while Iexpected him to generously give the man some spare change,he merely offered him an apple. The homeless man lookedup at his nameless friend and smiled the biggest smile I hadever seen. I grinned myself thinking that the slightest thingcould change someone’s life. It could supply them with thehope that someone would be there for them. The tiny lightahead turned green and we continued to the next stop.

We pulled onto the corner where twenty some students werelined up, silenced by the cold, waiting for our arrival. Theyapproached the corner at the sight of us, waving goodbye totheir parents and refusing their goodbye kisses and hugs outof pure embarrassment.

The doors slowly swung open and the line of studentsswarmed into the entrance, instantly filling the once emptybus with the squeals and giggles of preschoolers reunitingwith their friends after a whopping twelve hours. Then, theolder and intimidating high schoolers boarded and venturedtoward their normal spots in the back. Okay, I don’t care howmuch they say that they are just people like you and me,they’re menacing. Their territorial and judgmental instinctsimmediately make you feel lower than them, and their shortfuses make Freddie Kruger look like the Easter Bunny.

Although, one high schooler, sympathetic to those youngerkids surrounding her, peacefully waded her way through theshrieking kindergarteners without hissing “Shut up!” or “Get off the bus”. She actually looked upon them with anempathy that was lost in the other high schoolers. Instead offrowning and ignoring them, she just smiled, even as theypawed at her lunch bag, hungry for more sugar.

Iunconsciously found myself humming the tune to MagicBus by The Who. The stone cold metal of the bus win-dow made contact with my aching head, pulling meback into reality. The crisp air seeped through theslimmest crack that the window left open and stung myears. I quickly lost focus. Mornings on the school bus

consisted of the moans and groans of tired teens and toddlers, while icy air fogged up of the windows, on whichcranky first graders would doodle away their fatigue.

As I sat there, alone, in my own long seat, I stared out thewindow into the deceiving mist that wrapped around thenearest light post, swallowing it into nothingness. The bittermist bit at my bare fingertips. I put my hands together, rubbing away the numbness. I was miserable.

The cold wasn’t my friend, and seeing as it was a spine chilling forty degrees beyond the rusting metal of the schoolbus, I wasn’t in good company. The doors whacked open,allowing for each kid to enter its cold haze. I peered aroundthe towering seat in front of me, eyeing each person gettingon the bus. Making the name to face connection as we made eye contact, their droopy eyes barely open, and theirmovements were stiff as statures. A girl plopped down in theseat next to mine, her expression tired, yet wearily happy. Shebeamed as she leaned against the window, her warm breathvisible in the crisp air. It led me to think how she could besmiling in spite of how tired she seemed. Then she spoke,

“I’m so happy we don’t have a test today. I was up till twelvewatching reruns of Friends.” I smiled at the thought of sharing her weariness, relief at not having a test, while alsoadmiring her brave choice to procrastinate and her affinityfor 90’s sitcoms.

The moan and screech of the bus’ engine never failed tospook me while it pulled away from the waving parents, sipping their coffee, longing to be back in their warm cars.The tires rolled and rolled and I was happy to be finally onour way. One stop closer to the heated classrooms at school.

As we were stopped at the stop light across from the lonelybeach in middle of town, seagulls hovering in the salty airand early morning runners becoming mere blurs of colorfulbeings, I noticed a homeless man standing idly across thestreet. He was devoid of expression aimlessly moving his To continue reading Peighton’s essay, and view writing pieces

from St. Margaret’s Middle School 2010-11 Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition winners, visit Tartan Today at tartantoday.org and search “Arts and Writing Competition” or scan this QR tag.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 19

B y D a v i d W e a v e r , G r a d e 8National Silver Medal Winner for the 2010-11 Scholastic Art and Writing Award Competition

Water Hawthorne flower at Mission San Juan Capistrano


S I D E B Y S I D E

Never doubt the power of collaboration.

At St. Margaret’s, the grade 7 research

unit is a notable example of this. As

part of the English curriculum, Library

Director Darla Magana, English

Department Chair Jeni Johnson and

grade 7 English teacher Lori Donchak work together to

introduce grade 7 students to the range of skills involved in

the research process.

Why grade 7? Early adolescence is marked by many cognitivemilestones, including the ability to think abstractly and tolerate ambiguity, walk in someone else’s shoes and distinguishopinion from fact. It is the perfect time to introduce the skills and rigor needed to be an effective researcher.

Each year, a different research topic is selected. Over a periodof 12 weeks, students move through a three phase process:Presearch, Research and Create. The process culminates indebate, using the Lincoln-Douglas debate format. Topics arechosen so students can find evidence to argue either side ofthe issue, with preference for topics that pique curiosityamong young researchers.

B y L o r i D o n c h a k , M i d d l e S c h o o l E n g l i s h Te a c h e r

The Essential Question: Why Research?

Grade 7 Research Topics

2011 Internet Neutrality2010 United Nations2009 Healthcare2008 NASA2007 Mandatory Military Draft

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 21

Presearch invites students to brainstorm the topic. Students askquestions, hypothesize, define terms and share opinions.Research exposes students to the variety of resources availablefor fact-finding. Student teams gain hands-on experienceexploring traditional resources such as books, transcripts,websites and newspapers, as well as blogs and social media.Importantly, students determine how credible each resourcetype is. Because St. Margaret’s Library subscribes to severalhigh quality electronic databases, students learn to navigateSocial Issues Research Studies (SIRS), ProQuest and eLibraryto find reliable information. Instilling effective data collectionhabits is a priority. Students learn to take notes with an eyefor facts that will be useful ammunition for their debates.

The Create phase exposes students to outlining and analyticalwriting. By now, students have a sense for which side of thetopic they believe is most compelling. However, they areasked to write a separate essay for each side of the argument.For many students, stepping away from their own beliefs tosee another side of an issue is the most challenging part ofthe unit.

Debate day is the prize. Students debate in front of a panel ofjudges who assess teamwork, ability to use evidence toadvance an argument, presentation skills and persuasion. Thehighest scoring students advance to a final debate, an eventattended by all Middle School students.

There is no doubt that the grade 7 research experience istransformative. In Upper School, many grade 7 veterans excelas part of St. Margaret’s speech and debate team.

“Debate in and of itself is a very difficult activity,” said DavidFreed, grade 10, varsity co-captain of St. Margaret’s speechand debate team. “The debates that go on during grade 7help get students interested and spark a fire.”

There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing students internalize and carry forward valuable skill sets such as thoserequired for effective research. �

The Research Process

RESEARCH

St. Margaret’s Upper School Speech and Debate Team


Attention grade 6 students… Prepare for

the unit of your lives! That might be one

impression you hear from the majority

of students participating in the grade 7

research unit. Another impression might

be, “I’m taking debate in high school,”

or “When can we do this again?” These thoughts fluttered

through my mind as the grade 7 research unit reached its

nail-biting conclusion. This prominent unit lasted approximately

three months and ended with its traditional, infamous and

highly anticipated final debate. All in all, the unit will forever

change the lives of grade 7 students.

Leadership. The value of feeling strongly about something.

Working hard. Public speaking. These are many of the

things I discovered as I moved through the unit, including

defeating the butterflies in my stomach and pride towards

accomplishing something that I worked so hard on. Nothing

in my previous English career could have matched up with

this palette of experiences and discoveries. This experience

truly inspired me and my fellow grade 7 students to want to

become judges, lawyers and even researchers. The unique and

sparkling look in the students’ eyes as they hurried to find

out if they made the final debate really describes how much

this research unit meant to us, and how it changed us.

Resolved: The government should increase regulations to ensure

net neutrality for its citizens.

The first exercise we did in the research unit was to ponder

what the word “regulations” meant, and how it affects us and

our community. Although the relevance of this exercise may

not have been evident at that moment, I really appreciated

it as I began to study and research regulations towards the

end of the unit.

The research challenge was to acquaint grade 7 students with

enough background information to become mini experts on

a topic. Net neutrality was a topic that at first strained our

minds to their full extent. Many students eagerly accepted the

challenge and began researching the topic from the get-go,

while other students were skeptical and intimidated by the

monstrous topic. But, once the students anticipated the thrill

of debating in a formal fashion, the real adrenaline kicked in.

Sprinkled in the research recipe was vocabulary building. In

their personal glossary, each student wrote down challenging

or poignant words from research articles. I found that the

vocabulary fit hand in hand with the debate. As I began to

craft my final speech, a lot of the words I was learning began

to appear in my work.

Finally, after all of our work and preparation, the “real deal”

approached us. Some were nervous. Some were confident.

Some felt as though they just wanted to get it over with, and

some couldn’t believe that they were actually ready to debate.

I believe that no matter what the feelings were, everyone

succeeded because of the rigorous preparation. We performed

with valiant and chivalrous efforts, and in the end, we were

forever changed. �

Forever ChangedB y F r e d r i c k H u d o f f , G r a d e 7

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B y A n n e M a c k

A School Garden GrowingSustainability and Community

Director of Community Life Lora Allison and Science Department Chair Dr. JenniferRoss-Viola took to heart the growing interest among the St. Margaret’s community for green initiatives and brought to life a project that’s not only a personal passion, but aliving, outdoor learning laboratory on campus for students, teachers and families.

other conversations, case studies and events that served asongoing inspiration. Dr. Ross-Viola attended a green schools conference. Mrs. Allison attended a service learningconference where responsibility was a focal topic. They alsoparticipated in events and classes at the new Ecology Centerin San Juan Capistrano.

Mrs. Allison explained, “I feel there were several paths crossing and timely events that kept our conversation goingand enabled the evolution of our idea. Marc [Hurlbut] launched a sustainability committee of faculty and staff to

> >

“It’s one of the things I love most about teaching at St. Margaret’s,” said Dr. Ross-Viola. “The school communityvalues and trusts in our ideas. When we brought forth theinitial concept for a school-wide garden, the only answer weheard, over and over was a resounding and enthusiastic ‘YES’.”

Inspiration and VisionSeveral years ago, Mrs. Allison, Headmaster Marcus D.Hurlbut and other school leaders attended the NationalAssociation of Independent Schools conference where schoolgarden projects were presented as examples of experientialeducation. That led to a series of “what if ” conversations withDr. Ross-Viola that evolved into a plan. They also credit


In the early hours of March 25, an empty plot of land sat atthe northeast corner of the campus. The unused land adjacent to the greenhouse was a gradual slope with rocky,uncultivated soil. The plan: transform the area into plantersand raised beds in one school day, so that students across alldivisions could begin to utilize the space immediately.

Mrs. Allison and Dr. Ross-Viola issued a call for help to theircolleagues across the school: “On Friday, March 25, we will hold a work day to transform thegarden. If you would like to join this effort, we have support fromour headmaster and principals to allow you to participate. If you canjoin us for just a few hours, that would be great. You do not have tobe a “gardener,” just someone who wants to spend a day outsidedoing a fun project!”

Again, they received enthusiasm and many ‘yes’ answers; however, when they arrived on campus that morning theforecast wasn’t as clear. “It was pouring rain! We thought, ‘weare sunk!’ We are going to be out there ourselves, knee deepin organic soil,” laughed Dr. Ross-Viola as she remembered.Despite the wet and muddy conditions, the St. Margaret’scommunity showed up. Teachers, students, the maintenancecrew and staff from every division of the school came out tobuild the garden. Teachers brought their classes, advisorsbrought their advisories, and coaches brought their teams.

“It was amazing,” said Mrs. Allison. “We got right to work,but several times, Jen and I looked at each other throughoutthe day and were filled with emotion, gratitude and inspiration from our students and friends who were helpingus bring the garden to life for the community.”

Equipped with building supplies, gardening tools, rubbergloves and rain boots, snacks, lively music and the passion oftheir leaders, the team of workers graded and cultivated thesoil; built five, 6 feet by 6 feet and four, 4 feet by 4 feet raisedwood planters; created pathways and even began plantingvegetables and perennials.

explore what we should and could be doing at St. Margaret’sto be green. Additionally, the school received a generousdonation of a greenhouse from St. Margaret’s parent Mrs.Rhonda Parks. The greenhouse was already being used by the Lower School science classes, but we saw a greater opportunity with the adjacent unused land. The wheels werein motion and we said, ‘let’s go for it!’”

Mrs. Allison and Dr. Ross-Viola envisioned a communitylearning space to explore environmental science, nature, green living, develop a stronger commitment to sustainableinitiatives and responsibility to the larger community. “St. Margaret’s also values leadership, of all kinds. We saw anopportunity for our community to serve as a model forongoing discovery and innovation, as well as to provide leadership roles for students to serve as teachers on topics ofsustainability,” said Mrs. Allison.

They researched other successful community and school garden projects, including the pioneering Edible Schoolyardby Alice Waters in Berkeley, Calif. They brought in additionaleducators from the Sustainability Committee, includingPreschool Perceptual Motor Specialist Mrs. Shelley Harmon,who created the existing Preschool garden. Mrs. Allison andDr. Ross-Viola saw the engagement and hands-on studentlearning of the Preschool garden as a model to be extendedto all students at the school.

They also consulted with outside experts, including RyanWanamaker, director of garden and farms, from CampStevens Episcopal Camp and Conference Center. “CampStevens is at the very forefront of best practices in gardeningand sustainable living, and they grow more than 50 percent of the food that is served each day at the center. We havepartnered with Camp Stevens for years and it was natural towork with them on this project,” said Mrs. Allison.

They found that their passion was shared everywhere theyturned and momentum was on their side. “Continually, wewere told to think big and we were provided the support andthe resources to implement our plan,” said Dr. Ross-Viola.

Call and They Will Come Build“We originally looked to hire an outside consultant whowould design and build the garden for us and guide us onhow to get started with our programs,” said Mrs. Allison.“The more research and planning we did and votes of confidence we received from our colleagues, we quickly realized that we wanted the design and effort to be our own,and to be representative of all who will use it in the future.”

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 25

Realizing the Potential Academic Dean and Lower School Principal Dr. ReginaMcDuffie saw early on the potential of their idea and hasbeen an ongoing supporter of the project. “The garden and greenhouse combine sciences, environmental stewardship, literacy, sociology and social development and service learning with students from every division in hands-on projects to cultivate and grow plants, herbs, fruits and vegetables to produce a harvest,” said Dr. McDuffie. “It’s across-curricular, 21st century learning program that has limitless possibilities. It has already engaged our students’ passions and commitment to service and community.”

In the weeks following the construction day, many studentsand teachers continued work on walkways, galvanizedplanters and planting, and classes from every division of theschool started to come and utilize the space. Lower SchoolScience teacher Ms. Morgan Young’s first grade class harvested lettuce and learned about seeds. Preschool teacherLore Fredette’s P4 class learned about soil mixing. Led byUpper School students Heather Hughes and Gabi Carpenter,third grade students made wildflower seed balls for beautification of vacant community land. Mrs. BeatrizJacobsen’s Spanish 4 class used the garden as space for practicing plant identification and conversations in Spanish.

In late April, Mrs. Allison and Dr. Ross-Viola took a group of student leaders interested in continuing their work on thegarden to Camp Stevens for a two-day retreat. Camp Stevenstailored the program for St. Margaret’s to teach how to further develop the garden as an ongoing education andresource center and how to be ecological stewards and passthe lessons forward. In May, senior Daniel Golly conductedhis Independent Senior Project in the garden installing anirrigation system and tended to the early crops to be sharedwith the community.

“Some of the project ideas include tying natural elements tothe curriculum where possible, for example studying maize inhistory or soil testing in science. We will create a compositingcenter. Have art classes design elements including tiles andsculptures. Create a St. Margaret’s farm stand, have studentsgrow and create meals with the harvest, provide produce forthe school’s future kitchen and dining hall, and donate whatwe can to Father Serra’s Food Pantry in San JuanCapistrano,” said Dr. Ross-Viola.

Mrs. Allison explained her hope for the impact and meaningthe garden could have to the community, “We’ve createdsomething that’s as big as we imagined, but it’s educationaland practical. As a result, we’ve already seen the vision playout in the projects that have arisen by interest in the spaceand the resources it provides. It’s a place that doesn’t belongto one division of the school or one department. It’s a community space. It’s an art lab as much as it’s a science lab.It’s a meditative space as much as it is a place for social interaction. It’s for learning and discovery, for teaching and leading.” �

Visit the garden blog for ongoing news and photos:www.smesgarden.posterous.com.

Next YearThe Lower School will launch a new ecology curriculum forstudents in grades 2–4, taught by their classroom teachers andUpper School students. Students will work in a new LowerSchool satellite garden, built this summer by Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano faculty and staff as a service project togrow seedlings for the school garden, learn about composting,water sources, garden-to-table concepts, and develop naturalist intelligence and an appreciation for the Earth.

Mrs. Harmon will manage and oversee the ongoing maintenance of the school garden.

Diosa AdamsLora AllisonJanice AvaloneMike AvaloneEdgar BarrigaDaniel BlumeLisa BourguignonVictoria DavidsonP.J. ElliotLara Farhadi

Lori FavaLore FredetteJosh FriedmanShelley HarmonHeather HughesDonna JacobsenRian OttoSteve ShermanJennifer Ross-ViolaThomas Wu

Garden Builders


Jamie Bunch was in her sophomore English class inhigh school when she realizedher calling to become ateacher. The combination ofHamlet and her high schoolEnglish teacher, Mrs. Connor,lit the spark. “We read Hamlet;the way Mrs. Connor taught itwith passion, inspired me andmade me think, ‘This is exactlywhat I want to do.’”

Jamie followed her new passion while a student at a privatehigh school in Central California. She studied English withMrs. Connor and seized the opportunity to learn from thismentor. “I was never told that I was good at reading andwriting until Mrs. Connor.” The roots for Jamie’s love for literature, teaching and even her future husband, Chad, grewfrom her experiences in high school.

As an undergraduate at California State University,Sacramento, Jamie requested and obtained permission to takegraduate courses. She took every course offered on EmilyDickinson—there were nine. Jamie admits, “I’m obsessedwith anything and everything Dickinson.” During this time,another English teacher proved influential to Jamie, her professor, Linda Palmer. “Everything I do well, I’m just tryingto live up to [Professor Palmer’s] standards. Every day I askmyself, ‘Is this what she would have done?’ She really fashioned me into the teacher I am today.”

After marrying Chad in 1998, Jamie earned her master’sdegree from CSU Sacramento in American literature with anemphasis in creative writing and rhetoric and composition.Her thesis was a multi-disciplinary approach to EmilyDickinson. Her teaching career blossomed as she joined theranks of community college lecturers who taught writing, literature and critical thinking classes.

Since 2007, Jamie has taught in St. Margaret’s Upper School.“When I realized the academic freedom I would be givenhere, that I would be teaching American literature and theclass sizes would be ideal, I said ‘Yes’ to St. Margaret’s.”

F A C U L T Y P R O F I L E S

Jamie Bunch

Jamie loves American literature, and her goal is to make thesewriters’ ideas come to life in the minds of her students. Jamieand her students explore common American themes of individualism, hope and self-reliance. As Victoria Davidson,Class of 2011, says, “Ms. Bunch’s passion for literature is contagious. She teaches that classic stories and modern novelsalike are chock-full of philosophy, history, and descriptions of the human condition, which constantly opens our mindsto new ideas and questions our own beliefs.” Jamie nominated Victoria Davidson and Natalie Hiles for theNational Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awardin Writing last year while they were enrolled in her EnglishIII Honors course. Both students received awards from thisprestigious national writing competition that publicly recognizes some of the best student writers in the nation.

About her English I and English III Honors students, Jamiesays, “I’ve never worked with such talent in my life. I love my students; they are amazing. I ask for something and theygive more than 10 times my expectations.”

Jamie thinks of herself as a very rigorous teacher. “I demand alot of my students, but I demand as much from myself. I tryvery hard to honor student voices and make student voicesthe center of my class every day. I set a fast pace so studentsfeel like they are learning something new every day and givethem as much autonomy as possible.”

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s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 27

English Department Chair Jeni Johnson offers a peek intoJamie’s classroom. “When I enter Jamie’s classroom, I amalways impressed. Students take ownership of their learningand are actively engaged, generally neck-deep in an intensediscussion built around the literature and related philosophy.Students have developed the language necessary for havingthese high-level discussions because Jamie has done an excellent job organizing her course material so students arewell-prepared to meet her expectations.”

Jamie has an impact on her students every day. Natalie Hiles,Class of 2011, says, “I have never had a teacher like Ms.Bunch. She inspires her students to be better learners and herteaching goes way beyond the classroom. Whenever a paper isassigned, she makes herself available for conferences andalways comments on multiple drafts to best teach us how toimprove our writing skills. I have never seen a teacher socommitted to helping her students improve their writing andcritical thinking skills.”

Victoria Davidson adds, “Ms. Bunch molded me into theconfident writer I am today by always challenging me andexpecting more from my writing. Had I not taken Ms.Bunch's English III Honors course, there is a very goodchance I would not be planning to major in English atWhitman.”

Beyond the classroom, Jamie renews her spirit by literally diving into nature. She and Chad, certified scuba divers, enjoygoing on dive trips, surfing and hiking. “I’m a very driven,hard worker, so the downtime is important. I love being outin nature. It’s a way to sort of unwind, put things in perspective.”

When asked to choose a favorite poem, Jamie quickly alightson Emily Dickinson’s “I dwell in Possibility” (sic). The poem, Jamie explains, compares writing poetry to living in ahouse made out of nature, a house that is open to the treesand sky. It is a double metaphor – nature is a house, anddwelling in that house is like writing poetry. “I do feel thatway in nature. There is a sense that more is possible in nature.I can process all I read and study when I am in nature.” Asone who meets Jamie can easily observe, she is that sparkdwelling in possibility.

St. Margaret’s kindergartenteacher Anna Brower helps herstudents learn basic conceptssuch as what it means to be astudent and to be part of acommunity and a family. Beinga student means being an activeparticipant, a caring, respectfulfriend, and exhibiting positivesocial skills. “I feel like the mostimportant part of kindergartenis the social growth and being

part of a community. It’s important to teach them that theworld is bigger than themselves.”

Anna Brower

One example of helping students learn to think of others waswhen Anna collaborated with a student’s parent to contact a local animal shelter and find out how the students could help animals in the local community. Anna and her studentsdecided to collect towels for their “furry friends” at a localanimal shelter. The service project was a valuable learningexperience that included the opportunity for Anna’s students to welcome a representative from the shelter and arescued dog.

Anna says the students greatly enjoyed branching out beyondthe local community as well. They concluded the school year with a fun project that got them thinking about animalsin vastly diverse locations. Led by Anna, the kindergarten

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B y M i c h e l e S i l v e r m a n


teaching team incorporated 21st century skills such as problem solving, collaborating and being responsible forcompleting assigned roles. The student teams worked togetherto learn about animal habitats and to create posters to sharetheir learning with others. In reflecting on the overall experience, Anna says, “It went so much more smoothly thanI could have imagined. The students were all engaged. Ithelped them think beyond themselves and to think critically.”

These memorable teaching and learning moments are theresult of who Anna is as an educator. “She is so open to sharing ideas and herself with colleagues and students,”Kindergarten teacher Katy Desmond says. “In a strong team,all the members bring important things to the table. Anna isintelligent, professional, kind, giving and strong. The qualitiesthat make her a great teacher make her a great colleague and friend.”

Academic Dean and Lower School Principal Dr. ReginaMcDuffie says, “She’s extremely professional and dedicated inall aspects of her role as a St. Margaret’s teacher. In manyways, you would think she’s a 20-year veteran with her levelof skill, understanding, professionalism and classroom expertise.”

Many people at St. Margaret’s remember the days when Annawas a student. Her own kindergarten experience started in1986 when she was a student of Margaret Thornton. Twentyyears later, Anna joined the St. Margaret’s community again, but this time as a kindergarten teacher. Not only hadshe come full circle, she was hired to fill the big shoes of Ms. Thornton who was retiring.

What brought Anna back to St. Margaret’s as a teacher washer love for kids and the sense of community she felt at St.Margaret’s. “St. Margaret’s was like a second home for all ofmy childhood. I always felt a special connection. Even as ourcommunity has grown, we still have that central theme oflove and support for one another.”

After graduating from St. Margaret’s, Anna earned a degree in education and political science from Bucknell Universityin Pennsylvania. Instead of jumping directly into education,Anna tested the waters in business by working for a consulting firm in Irvine, calif. She quickly decided it wasnot for her. “It was good, I met my husband there, but it wasnot for me.” While working there, she heard that a teaching assistant job was open at St. Margaret’s. She started in thatrole, which convinced her that teaching was her true mission.

While working as a teaching assistant in the Lower School atSt. Margaret’s, Anna earned her teaching credential and master’s degree in education from Pepperdine University. Dr. McDuffie says, “Anna was a standout even in her earlydays as a teaching assistant. She was exceptional then, with somuch promise and potential, and she is exceptional now.Anna is kind, loving, supportive and soft spoken. She naturallyrelates to children and they love her. These are essential qualities for an early childhood educator, but her truestrength as a teacher is her understanding and focus on thedevelopmental level of her students. She is always thinkingabout new ways to teach students with unique learning styles and students at different levels.

“Anna is exceptionally dedicated to her students, the schooland to her profession. She is a quiet, humble leader amongthe faculty with whom she has earned trust and respect. In addition to teaching, Anna is also the Lower School community service director. Within this role, she integratesthe character counts, buddy and community service programsto make a more meaningful and cohesive program for facultyto implement and ultimately for student learning.”

Anna says she loves working with children and learningalongside them. “We work hard and have high expectationsfor ourselves and our students, which allows for continualgrowth and challenge.”

The students respond to Anna’s open and loving teachingapproach. Lauren Groux, Anna’s teaching assistant, says,“There are so many reasons I love walking into her classroomevery morning, especially seeing how she gives her all.” �

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 29

This is the second year we have asked St. Margaret’s alumnito write about their first year in college. The four studentsfeatured in this article represent the successful experiences of95 St. Margaret’s alumni from the Class of 2010 who enrolledin 68 colleges and universities across the country last year. Iknow that I speak for my colleagues who came to knowthese students over the years, St. Margaret’s beams with prideas we hear of the accomplishments of our alumni.

Roland AllenDirector of College Counseling

Iam writing this introduction during the week leadingup to the Commencement Ceremony for the Class of2011. The timing is important because there are a lot ofhugs and big smiles, especially among parents as theyshare how hopeful they are for their children’s futures.One parent summed it up at this year’s Senior Banquet

when he recalled my remarks at the college counselinglaunch midway through his daughter’s junior year assuringparents that their children would have great college choices atthe end of the college process, and that they’d be prepared tomove on when they reached graduation. This parent told methat even though he will miss his daughter when she leaveshome in August, he knows that she has made a good choicein a college and that she is ready.

Class of 2010 Alumni Share Reflections on Their Freshman Year

Thriving in College

Emerson College

Spencer Keane, Emerson College

With only four weeks of school left, I look back at the yearand see how quickly it has gone by. From the moment I setfoot on the Emerson College campus, I was a welcome partof the community. I walked into my new home, The LittleBuilding, to cheers and praise from junior and senior orientation leaders who were thrilled to see a new student at their beloved school. My roommates and I hit it off rightaway and I soon had a tight-knit group of friends.

But, what about the classes? Well, to be honest, classes areoften the smallest part of the experience here at EmersonCollege. Classes offer a way to learn about a topic and meetother interested students so that you can go and use whatyou learned outside the classroom. Be it film, theater, writing,acting, lighting or music/sound design, there is always a student only a few rooms away that can offer their expertiseon whatever project you are working on. I have learned aplethora of video production skills this year including rudimentary animation and sound design, editing, shot composition and screenwriting. I even taught myself somevery basic computer generated 3D modeling. I have usedthese skills to create an animated short, a five-minute filmproject, and a few scripts, characters and scenes.

Often times our small film production group, LB7Productions (Little Building 7th Floor), will be walkingthrough Boston late at night and rattle off movie ideas, interesting shots, funny lines and film scenarios. At this pointwe stop, look at each other and ask, “When did this becomeour life?” It is a life we all love and embrace fully.

University of California, Berkeley

Justin Cheng, University of California, Berkeley

If I could describe college in six words it would be: massiveextension of summer, but better. I am currently a freshman atUniversity of California, Berkeley and I can’t believe I onlyhave a little over a month left of my first year in college. I stillremember the anxiety and sleepless nights I had exactly oneyear ago when waiting for college decisions and studying forAdvanced Placement exams. I remember being confused onwhich side of my head to place the graduation tassel whenwalking past a sea of excited family members and friends ongraduation day. I remember college move-in day and beingoverwhelmed by the numerous emotions everyone was facingas students tried to set good first impressions while sayinggoodbye to loved ones.

Looking back now, I can’t believe how much college hashelped me develop as a person since those momentousevents. Going from a class of 95 to a class of more than 6,000students, Berkeley has given me countless opportunities tomeet new people and develop relationships that will last forever. From observing students take over academic buildings in protest of the budget cuts to striking up calculusconversations with a street person on Telegraph Avenue, I’ve gained unique experiences I thought I would neverencounter during my days in high school.

Overall, my first year in college has been one of the mostmemorable times in my life and I look forward to theremaining three years to come.


s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 31

University ofSan Francisco

Marisa Jue, University of San Francisco

It is difficult to believe that I have only two more months leftin my freshman year here at the University of San Francisco.My first semester was a whirlwind of new experiences,including life in the dorms, cafeteria food and different typesof classes. So far, all of my classes have been manageable, and I like to think that the education I received at St. Margaret’shas well prepared me for the work I am now doing in college.

Upon deciding to attend University of San Francisco, Ijoined the great books program known as the St. IgnatiusInstitute. The Institute is essentially a living-learning community in which we live together, take the same classes,and host events and outings. I can’t imagine my college experience outside of the context of the Institute; it hasbecome another family for me.

Everyone is friendly and supportive, especially the professors.Every day the professors push us to get out of our comfortzones and to do the best that we possibly can, whether that isthrough applying for national honors societies or campaigningto stop human trafficking. I am getting the opportunity toexplore every interest I could possibly have from adding aminor in fine arts to participating in the student worshipchoir. In fact, ignoring the many distractions that this amazingcity has to offer has been the most difficult thing so far.

Marisa has blogged about her first year of college at theUniversity of San Francisco:http://littlegirl-inabigcity.blogspot.com/

New York U

niversity

Melody Hernandez, New York University

I cannot believe I am halfway through my second semester at New York University. Iremember visiting the crazy neighbor ofGreenwich Village last April and wonderinghow I would survive amongst the hustle andbustle. It was quite a transition from the lovelybubble of Orange County, but it was well worth it.

Being a student at Tisch School of The Arts hasallowed me to encounter some of the most motivated, talented people I have ever met. I am fortunate to have attended St. Margaret’sbecause it got me in the habit of working hard.People here really have an unbelievable work ethic.

As of now, I am exploring music in all its different aspects. Within The Clive Davis School

of Recorded Music, I am taking courses in music business,engineering the record, audio ear training, music theory andsongwriting. When I am not studying music in class I hop on the subway to intern at Imagem Music Publishing as anassistant to the creative director in the pop department.Living in this city has allowed me the opportunity to meetsome amazing songwriters and artists that have solidified mydecision of pursuing music in college. I remember two yearsago singing “Better in Time” by Leona Lewis at St. Margaret’sCoffee House Cabaret, and about a month ago I went topizza with Andrea Martin, the girl who wrote it.

The hardest part has definitely been keeping focused andlearning to say “no” to going out. Be it a comedy club, aconcert, a fair, all-you-can-eat pizza in Little Italy…there isalways something going on. The energy in this city is ratherhard to put in words, but it is not hard to feel amongst1,634,795 people living in the city of Manhattan alone. Thefact that NYU’s campus is not very central (it is spread outfrom First Street to 23rd Street) is a bit intimidating, butmeeting people has not been very difficult.

I am fortunate to have made very close friends with the restof floor 22 in my dorm building, along with the other 32people in my department. I also have found a mini-family atLiberty Church and Hill Song Church New York. Although I periodically complain about my newfound pasty white skinand lack of authentic Mexican food in the area, I know Icould not have made a better college decision. No doubt this past year has been one of the best.


“

“When I left St. Margaret's I had a vague notion that I wanted to be a researcher, but I had relatively little insightinto what research actually entailed. I knew that a career inresearch would require an enormous amount of additionallearning, however I was so excited to start college, I didn’tthink much further than the first semester,” said Matt.

After St. Margaret’s, Matt graduated from Rice Universitywith a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and went on to graduateschool at Harvard University where he worked in the lab of David Liu, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University, at the interface between organic chemistry and molecular biology. He defended his thesis,“The Development and Application of a Selection–BasedApproach to Reaction Discovery,” in the spring of 2005 andsubsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the lab of DanielNocera, professor of energy and professor of chemistry atMIT, focusing on developing catalysts for energy conversion processes.

“Over the course of my graduate work, I became very interested in catalysis,” said Matt. “At MIT, I developed a newcatalyst for ‘water oxidation,’ a reaction in which H2O istransformed into O2 at an electrode with the release of electrons and protons that can be used to make H2 at anotherelectrode. The overall process of electrolyzing water has beenaround for a very long time, but doing it efficiently and at alow enough cost that it could be used for large-scale energystorage has been an elusive goal.”

With Matt’s new discovery, he was able to broaden the scopeand pioneer a new area of research being performed by theinorganic chemistry and physical chemistry team at MIT.With the findings, Matt also assisted in starting a new company with his MIT advisor called Sun Catalytix—anenergy storage and renewable fuels technology companyfounded to commercialize groundbreaking science. The company utilizes nature as an inspiration and seeks to combine sunlight and water to provide affordable, highly distributed renewable energy.

In the winter of 2009, Matt started at Stanford University asan assistant professor in the chemistry department. He hasconstructed a research group of graduate and undergraduatestudents to work on several major problems in catalysis—thescience of discovering materials and molecules that enableotherwise impossible (or impossibly slow) chemical reactions.

“In one effort, we develop inorganic materials that convertelectricity, water and CO2 into O2 and a carbon-based fuel. Efficient catalysts for these reactions are critical to thedevelopment of viable ‘artificial photosynthesis’—a process in which sunlight is used as the sole energy input into the production of synthetic fuels. In a second effort, we ask the

Finding Something Unexpected

A fixture in the halls of Stanford University’s chemistry department, Class of 1996 Valedictorian Matt Kanan has immersed himself in the field ofresearching inorganic and organic chemistry.

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s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 33

question: can an externally applied electric field control thereactivity of a catalyst? Using custom small electrode interfaces, we study the effects of strong electric fields onsmall molecules and solid-state catalysts and exploit theseeffects to promote selective reactions. Our vision is that electric field control could ultimately transform the way inwhich chemists synthesize new molecules,” said Matt.

The group ultimately hopes to create a process that willallow us not to have to rely on plants to convert sunlight intofuel, or to rely on the fuel stored in the ground––the fossilfuels currently used for energy—but actually take sunlight,for example and use that to drive a reaction that synthesizes a chemical fuel. A few of the group’s key ideas in both areashave recently come to fruition and they are excited to publish these results soon. Matt hopes to present the unpublished work at a conference in Puerto Rico in August.

As a professor, Matt looks back at the teachers that influencedhim while he attended St. Margaret’s.

“Several teachers had a profound impact on me. Theyencouraged me directly, but what resonated the most withme was their own passion for their subjects,” said Matt. “Theytaught because they loved interacting with students andbecause it enabled them to engage their subjects constantly.Seeing their passion made me realize that there was anincredible richness to what they were teaching long before I knew enough to appreciate it firsthand.”

Matt enjoyed school and learning new things. He mentionsthat he was, “drawn to the idea of studying something fundamental.” He talks about Dr. Robert Johnson teachinghim the power of learning by reading, which, he says may be the most important lesson he learned in high school. Hesays Ms. Cindy Duim and Mrs. Carol Ann Ingalls gave him afoundation in math and science that he has relied on eversince and says that he has, “known no one whose creativity in the classroom matched that of Mr. Larry Rice.”

“I was fortunate to have interactions with these extraordinaryteachers because it unlocked a desire to learn that determinedthe way that I have approached education and my work eversince. I was sufficiently inspired in high school to be foreverthrilled about learning and adding to what is known,” said Matt.

“Matt was in my first Advanced Placement biology class. Iremember how dedicated he was to his studies,” said UpperSchool Biology teacher Carol Ann Ingalls. “He took AP biology, I believe, without taking either biology or chemistryfirst, both of which are prerequisites now. When other

students complained about the workload or the difficulty ofthe class, Matt explained to them how much time he put into the class to be successful. He would study 3-4 hours per week–that was over and above the time required to complete the reading and written assignments. Through it all he was always positive, upbeat and willing to jump in andhelp others through the difficult patches. He was a very special student.”

The world of research is a competitive business, especially at Stanford University. Matt’s passion has led him throughmany great discoveries; as his journey continues, he hopes toprogress in his work and inspire his students to inquire about the unknown.

“As an experimentalist, you start with an idea that is based on any combination of reasoning, intuition or guessing andthen you try to test that idea by making a measurement. It is tremendously exciting to see the first experimental evidence that your idea is correct or on the right track–soexciting that you can develop a remarkable tolerance for thefrustration associated with being wrong many, many moretimes than you're right,” said Matt. “Perhaps the only thingmore exciting than finding validation of your idea in anexperiment is finding something unexpected that's moreinteresting than what you were looking for in the first place.Seeing ideas—usually my students’ ideas rather than minenow—come to fruition and occasionally seeing somethingunexpected present itself are what make my job more exciting for me than anything else I can imagine doing.” �


Class of 1992. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matt BrownMatt is a partner with the Orange County law firm ofBrown & Streza LLP. He received his undergraduate degreein finance from the University of California, Davis and hisJuris Doctor from Southern Methodist University DedmanSchool of Law.

In 2011, Matt was selected for OC METRO magazine’sannual 40 Under 40 issue. In 2010, Matt was named a FiveStar Wealth Manager by Orange Coast Magazine and in 2008he was named a Southern California Super Lawyers-RisingStar by Los Angeles Magazine.

Matt is a charter member of University of California, Irvine’sCenter for Investment and Wealth Management, and a charter member of Kingdom Advisors. He lives in LaderaRanch with his wife Julie and their three sons Michael, Ryan and Kevin.

Hilary Albers BushHilary lives in Kingwood, Texas with her husband Matthew.The newest edition to their family is John Matthew Bush,born December 31, 2010. He joins his brother James (2) inmaking a very happy and busy Tartan home. Hilary is an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserves currently assigned toMilitary Sealift Command Pacific Headquarters. She was promoted to the rank of Commander on August 1, 2011. Her husband is an officer in the U.S. Merchant Marines andis currently deployed off the Horn of Africa as Captain of the USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3).

Class of 1987. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Emily Acosta (Withers)Since graduation in 1987, Emily has lived in Venezuela withAFS Intercultural Programs for a year, moved to Colorado,completed her master’s degree at the University of Denver,traveled the world, and married and raised two beautifulboys. She’s even been back to St. Margaret’s Chapel for thewedding of classmate Valerie Scruggs Potvin (Class of 1987).Emily currently lives in Denver, Colorado and would like tomeet up with any St. Margaret’s alumni in the area. If you’reinterested, please contact the Alumni Office to get in touch.

Class of 1988. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eric WestendorfEric moved from Orange County to Seattle seven years agoto run a division of Nuveen Investments, a Chicago-basedasset management firm, to call on clientele in sixNorthwestern states. In his free time, he is training for hisseventh Ironman triathlon. When not in training, he enjoyssocializing with his brothers David (Class of 1986) and Ryan(Class of 1991) and their four girls, along with his mom anddad when he can get back to California. He keeps in touchwith Damian Jones (Class of 1988), Joe Kennedy (Class of1987), the Khachigian sisters: Merissa (Class of 1988) andKristy (Class of 1989), Sam Levinson (Class of 1988) and Mr. David Boyle.

C L A S S N O T E S

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 35

Florrie Willis (Hallenbeck)In May 2010, Florrie and her husband Patrick moved fromPhiladelphia to Tampa, Florida where she works for LincolnFinancial Group. She and Patrick married in November at St. Margaret's. They moved into a new house in Tampa at theend of June.

Class of 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan Rettinger Jonathan graduated from the University of Rochester in2003, and this year completed his Master of BusinessAdministration from University of California, Irvine’s PaulMerage School of Business. In 2009, Jonathan started hiscompany TechnoBuffalo, a website with one focus, “to helpyou get the most out of your tech lifestyle.” In 2011,Jonathan was selected for OC METRO magazine's annual 40 Under 40 issue.

Class of 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jake Bullock Jake lives in Ladera Ranch with his wife Keri (Van Der Wall,Class of 2000.) The newest addition to the Bullock family is Zachary John Stephen Bullock, born February 9, 2011. He joins his brother Jacob Jr. who will be three in August.

Class of 1997. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Josh Del PinoJosh received his Master of Arts in Asia Pacific studies fromthe University of San Francisco in May 2010. After graduation, he returned to Japan to teach English in Japanesepublic schools where he also volunteered as an editorial associate with the Japanese Policy Research Institute.Recently, Josh was fortunate enough to travel to Kyoto andNara where he enjoyed the beautiful sights and rich history.

Class of 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kristin Ahmer (Gottwald)Kristin lives in beautiful San Clemente with her husbandMike and their two-year-old son Will. After a few years in apparel production, Kristin is now a busy stay-at-home momrunning her own business, The Sili Company. The company has a newly launched patent pending product, The SiliSqueeze™ that allows infants to enjoy delicious blends offreshly pureed food, in addition to ready-made favorites likeyogurt and applesauce, while on-the-go.


Class of 2001, Continued

Class of 2007. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natalie Bonhall Natalie spent the 2010-11 school year abroad, studying international politics at Leeds Metropolitan University inEngland. During this time, she took some memorable tripsaround England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and theCzech Republic. She will graduate this year from NorthernArizona University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in international relations.

Alexandra TrimbleAlexandra graduated from Santa Clara University with aBachelor of Science in business and marketing on June 11,2011. She plans to work in the San Jose area after graduation.Her brother Sam Trimble (Class of 2001) just finished his first year at the University of Southern California’s MarshallSchool of Business Master of Business Administration program. He worked at Wells Fargo in Orange County andSan Francisco for five years after graduating from DickinsonCollege. Her sister Suzanne Trimble (Class of 2004) is nowliving in Boston and coaching volleyball as the second assistant to the head coach of Harvard University’s women’svolleyball team.

Omar ShabanOmar just completed his Master of Business Administrationat the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College ofBusiness. After two great years of business school that includedstudying abroad in Lebanon, China and Chile, Omar is nowgetting ready to work for McKesson starting September2011. Over the next two years, Omar will be working inMcKesson’s finance rotational development program whiletraveling between San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta and Richmond.

Michelle WolffMichelle and Derek Jones had their first child JoaquinStephen Wolff Jones on April 21, 2011. They live in Durham,North Carolina where Michelle is getting her Ph.D in theology at Duke University.

Class of 2005. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William AryWilliam received his Bachelor of Science in psychobiologyfrom University of California, Los Angeles in 2009. He thenfinished his Master of Business Administration in 2010 fromCal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Currently, William is attending San Diego State University for his next degree, a master’s inevolutionary biology.

Nicole Marie HughesThis year, Nicole expanded her event planning companyShowdown Event Design, into Beverly Hills with supportfrom the loves of her life, John Rivera and their miniaturepinscher Rex. Having recently produced a successful celebrityfundraiser in conjunction with the MTV Video MusicAwards, she is excited to debut her second company ShowdownPR with support from several Hollywood charities.

William Allan Jacobson William just completed his first year ofdental school at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He will graduate from the four year program in 2014 and plans to return to sunny California.

Class of 2009. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Eunice Chung Eunice studied abroad in Shanghai, China this past springsemester to further her business degree studies and improveher Chinese for her minor degree. She also interned in themarketing and commercial property department at KnightFrank. Throughout the semester, she traveled to eight different cities/provinces in China. A highlight from one of her trips was riding camels and sleeping in tents in the middle of Gobi Desert.

Alyssa HopperAlyssa was recently honored as a participant in the 2011 Fred L. Emerson Gallery Student Art Invitational at HamiltonCollege. Each year, Hamilton College features 16 students attheir annual exhibition. Pieces on display include photography,video, sculpture, drawing, painting and mixed media from all academic levels. Alyssa’s work will be on display throughout the month of August.

N O T A B L E

Ryan JongRyan is a coxswain for Boston College’s varsity men's crewteam. In April, his boat won gold at the 2011 Knecht Cup on the Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey. He is also arunner of the 2011 Boston Marathon and will be interning atHFP Capital Markets in New York City over the summer.

Lauren ReitermanThis year, Lauren had the opportunity to live and work inFrance. She began her solo trip in Paris and eventually landed in Burgundy where she worked at a restaurant in thebeautiful French countryside. Her proudest moment was during her third day into the trip, while in the Latin Quartera Parisian asked, “You are not from Paris?” The struggle oflearning a second language in school is well worth it when a native doesn't notice. Lauren hopes to continue creating a life where she can both travel and work as she finishes her college career over the next few years.

Spencer Kushner A member of St. Margaret’s Class of 2009, Spencer Kushnercurrently attends the College of William & Mary where he is majoring in finance, a member of the men’s golf team anda Student-Athlete Advisory Council representative. After learning his girlfriend was diagnosed with breast cancer, hedecided the best way he could help was to start a philanthropy.Over the 2010 winter break, he began conducting researchand called the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Virginia; theidea for “Tribe Birdies for Breast Cancer” was born.

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s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 37


Spencer. “Our initial outreach was to friends, family and local businesses. Next year, we are hoping to branch outamong the student body and launch an automated programvia the Web.”

William & Mary’s women’s golf team plans to join the effortthis fall and the team has approached the business school tohelp with marketing support to make this a campus andcommunity-wide initiative.

“St. Margaret’s taught me that anyone can take initiative andmake something happen, it’s not hard to do,” said Spencer.“This insight has stayed with me and given me the wherewithalto know I could make this idea a success. Hearing the storiesof breast cancer survivors or those going through treatment is so powerful, it helps us realize why we’re doing this andthat we’re making a difference.” �

Class of 2010. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alexis MooreAlexis lives in Dana Point and is currently attending SaintMary's College of California in Moraga. She recently vacationed in Cancun, Mexico with her boyfriend and hisfamily to celebrate the completion of her freshman year.

Spencer spent much of December, January and earlyFebruary developing the philanthropy’s mission, setting upemails to distribute, conducting research with different cancersocieties, creating presentations about where raised moneywould go, how to donate, the Susan G. Komen Foundation’sinvolvement and coordinating with the William & Mary athletics department.

“The athletics department at William & Mary was veryinstrumental in helping to move ‘Tribe Birdies for BreastCancer’ forward,” said Spencer. “The philanthropy’s mainmission is to raise charitable donations for the Susan G.Komen Foundation through the William & Mary golf program. All proceeds from our fundraisers go to the SusanG. Komen Foundation to help fund research and educationalprograms for Breast Cancer Awareness.”

After developing the initial logistics of the philanthropy’sfundraiser, Spencer enlisted help from his nine golf teammates.Donations to “Tribe Birdies for Breast Cancer” are made ona per birdie basis. A dollar amount can be pledged for eachbirdie made by the men’s golf team throughout the season, ora flat rate donation can be made. At the end of the season, allof the birdies are totaled and the donations are given to theSusan G. Komen Foundation. The success of the team directly correlates with the fundraising efforts.

“We launched ‘Tribe Birdies for Breast Cancer’ in mid-February and raised $15,000 in less than two months,” said

A L U M N I U P D A T E S

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Parents of Alumni (PAL)Sunday SocialOn the warm evening of April 17, the Parents of AlumniAssociation (PAL) hosted the Sunday Social at St. Margaret’sFountain Courtyard. Parents from across St. Margaret’s 32-year history gathered to greet old friends and make newones. The evening was graciously co-chaired by KarenKushner and Denise McGraw who transformed the belovedFountain Courtyard into a relaxing lounge. Guests enjoyedtray passed hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and a signature Tartan-tini.

College Care Packages

In April, PAL started a new tradition: the Alumni CollegeCare Package Project. The project involved the many handsof Tartan alumni parent volunteers obtaining college addresses, acquiring “necessary” college provisions: gum,candy, granola bars, popcorn, Top Ramen, a first aid kit, aFrisbee, lip balm, luggage tags and hot chocolate; and assembling and mailing to four years of St. Margaret’s alumnicurrently in college. The task seemed daunting but in theend, parent volunteers completed nearly 200 packages in lessthan three hours, each with a handwritten note. The projectstayed on task under the leadership of Program Chair DonnaToubia who guided an eager group of volunteers wanting to work together. Thank you to all the volunteers who madeit possible to ship these packages across the country and evento France and Japan, they were very well-received by all St. Margaret’s young scholars.

2010-2011 Parents of Alumni Association

President Barbara MassreyPresident-Elect Carolyn WestendorfCommunications & Publicity Kathy BrownCommunity Service & Programs Kelly CollierPAL Coffee Lulu HallenbeckPAL Sunday Social Karen Kushner

Denise McGrawAlumni Care Packages Donna Toubia

If you are interested in getting involved in the Parents ofAlumni Association, please contact Ian Tacquard at [email protected] or 949.661.0108 ext. 247.


Todd is married to Laura Hunt Newman, a graduate ofWilliams College and former management consultant withMonitor Group. Their two children attend St. Margaret’s –Charlotte is in grade 1 and Luke is in preschool. TheNewman’s live in Ladera Ranch with their new Great Danepuppy Sebastian.

In his role as Alumni President, Todd will focus his time andenergy on strengthening the base of alumni that are activelyinvolved in the St. Margaret’s network. Building on the hardwork of former presidents Ryan Westendorf (close friend andformer classmate) and Ashley Scott Meggers, Todd hopes toboost participation at annual events like Homecoming, theAlumni Christmas Party and the All Alumni Reunion. Hisgoal is to broaden alumni engagement with the school, andto encourage time and talent contributions that will lead togreater leadership roles for alumni over time. Along thoselines, Todd will continue to serve as team doctor to St. Margaret’s varsity football team, a role he has enjoyed for the past five years.

All Alumni ReunionFollowing St. Margaret’s 2011 Commencement Ceremonyon Saturday, June 11, more than 100 alumni gathered at El Adobe De Capistrano Restaurant for the first All AlumniReunion. St. Margaret’s alumni of all ages came together toreconnect and share stories. Classes ending in ones and sixescelebrated milestone reunion years including the Class of1986 celebrating the school’s first 25 year class reunion.

Tartan Alumni Association (TAA)

Introducing the Tartan Alumni Association’s new PresidentTodd Newman:

Dr. Stephen Todd Newman grew up in Laguna Hills andattended St. Margaret’s from grades 9-12, graduating with the Class of 1991. While attending St. Margaret’s, Todd wasAssociated Student Body president, a three-sport varsity letterman, member of the 1990 CIF Championship footballteam, and an ambassador to Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s visit to the United States. Todd’s three siblings also graduatedfrom St. Margaret’s: The Reverend Ryan D. Newman (Classof 1994) helped start Special Camp for Special Kids and is currently chief operating officer and head chaplain atCampbell Hall School in North Hollywood; Erin NewmanArmstrong (Class of 1998) is a cardiac ICU nurse at MissionHospital; Michael Newman (Class of 2008) is an Englishmajor at the University of San Francisco. Their mother,Charlotte Newman, volunteers in St. Margaret’s AdvancementOffice and continues to actively support the school, as she has done for the past 20 years.

After graduation, Todd continued his studies at the Universityof Southern California, graduating in the Order of the Torchwith a bachelor’s degree in biology. After conducting severalyears of research on Alzheimer’s disease at Harvard University,Todd decided to attend Boston University School ofMedicine (his grandfather’s alma mater). Doctor of Medicinein hand, Todd moved back to sunny California for his internship in surgery and his residency in anesthesia and critical care at University of California, Los Angeles. In 2007,Todd found his way back to Orange County when he joinedNewport Harbor Anesthesia Consultants at Hoag Hospital.


L O O K I N G B A C K

Once a Tartan, Always a Tartan

Mrs. Carolyn Franck retired from teaching this June after spending 23 years inspiring second graders at St. Margaret’s. She was

frequently approached to consider teaching a different grade level, but always declined saying, “Second grade is the best; the

children are sweet, trusting and so eager to learn. I love them.” Her students knew she felt this way about them, and they did not

forget her when they advanced to Middle and Upper School. She was frequently asked to attend their graduation ceremonies.

In reflecting on her time at St. Margaret’s, Carolyn treasures the memories of wonderful friendships, supportive parents, and

camaraderie among the teachers and staff. Carolyn’s daughter, Jenny, graduated in the Class of 1996, which gave her the

opportunity to see the Tartan community as a very connected family.

Carolyn plans to retire in small increments and will be available to substitute in the Lower School starting this fall.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 1 41


It’s hard to miss the rapid progress on the St. Margaret’s campus development masterplan, which was featured in the summer 2010 issue of the Highlander. Since then,the school officially broke ground on the construction of the new, 45,000-square-foot Performing Arts Center in November. The foundation was graded, preparedand 1,500 cubic yards of concrete foundation were poured. More than 24,000 feetof conduit was installed underground for the electrical and cable lines to support

the range of sound, lighting, audio-visual recording and mixing resources for technicallearning of the arts. More than 400,000 tons of structural steel was erected with a topping out ceremony held on the last day of the 2010-2011 school year, marking thehighest point of construction of the building. Structural walls have begun to take shapeand the imposing presence that the center will hold on campus is clear. The newPerforming Arts Center is on schedule (and budget!) to open in June 2012 bringingworld-class, dedicated theatre, music, dance rehearsal and performance learning facilitiesto St. Margaret’s students for years to come.

Additionally, new parking lots and driveways have been created in the northeast cornerof the campus and in the lot at the corner of La Novia and Calle Arroyo adjacent tothe Lower School for better access and traffic flow to campus for families and employeesbeginning next school year.

The visible signs are everywhere…we have made significant progress on our campusmaster plan this year!

The St. Margaret’s community has generously donated nearly $20 million to theBuilding on the Promise capital campaign. The campaign enters its final year in 2011-2012 with a goal to raise an additional $8 million. Building on the Promise is funding thePerforming Arts Center, new Middle School campus, redesigning of Sillers Hall as afull-service, health-conscious kitchen and dining hall and renovation and expansion ofSt. Margaret’s Episcopal Church sanctuary and the Fountain Courtyard.

L O O K I N G F O R W A R D

SpotlightTrace and Lauren Chalmers

Building on the Promise capital campaignChairs Trace and Lauren Chalmers aredevoted parents of three St. Margaret’s students and tireless supporters of theschool. They have served the campaign asits leaders since 2010 and have generouslycommitted to seeing the campaign throughto its completion next year. “We believestrongly in the quality and breadth of theSt. Margaret’s curriculum and programs,which is why we joined the communitywhen we moved to Orange County fiveyears ago,” said Lauren.

Trace added, “We are extremely committedto this effort because we know our outstanding programs, faculty and mostimportantly students need the newresources these facilities will provide. It’snot only for our children; this effort is forall students for generations to come.

“We also feel deep gratitude to the manyparents who came before us and built thebeautiful campus we enjoy today. We trulybelieve it is our responsibility to carry on their efforts.”

Executive Director of Advancement SteveHarrington said of the Chalmers, “I can’tpossibly thank Trace and Lauren enough fortheir unwavering partnership and generoussupport of Building on the Promise. They have given in every way possible. They havebrought great leadership, strategic focus and ideas, dedicated countless hours tomeetings, conversations and events, andbeen resounding advocates. They haveinfused tremendous enthusiasm and passioninto this effort. So much momentum andprogress is due to their hard work and support and we are extremely grateful.”

Trace and Lauren are the proud parents ofSt. Margaret’s students Grace, grade 8,Clayton, grade 5, and Cameron, grade P4.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School31641 La NoviaSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752

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Highlander Summer 2011

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