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2023 Women's symposium Be bold panel with Raleigh, Maria, Melissa and Agnes

When Agnes Chapski P’25 started her career more than two decades ago, women were fighting one another to advance to the top of the publishing field. Her mission was to change that narrative. Today, as a leader in the industry, she advocates for and encourages other women to succeed, with a firm belief that women should be boosting one another up instead of tearing them down. This weekend, Ms. Chapski visited Blair with other fierce women to share that message—along with others—to the future generations of female powerhouses.

2023 womens symposium panelists

Exploring the call to “Be Bold,” Blair’s third annual Women’s Symposium last Saturday consisted of conversations and panel discussions on the topics of boldness, strength, values and financial health as they apply to women’s personal and professional lives. The event commenced in the Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration forum with Blair’s 20th—and first female—Board Chair, Maria Vinci Savettiere P’17, welcoming attendees and sharing gratitude for the ability to come together as a community.

“I strongly believe that it is so important that women motivate and mentor future generations of leaders and changemakers,” Mrs. Vinci Savettiere told the audience. “With such a talented and experienced range of female speakers and panelists, I know we will all leave here armed with invaluable knowledge and connections.”

Since the 50th anniversary celebration of the return of coeducation at Blair, the Women’s Symposium has brought members of the Blair community together to motivate, uplift and connect through conversation and networking opportunities to learn from diverse, insightful speakers and panelists around topics that affect women today. This year’s program consisted of panel discussions, exercises in defining personal values and how they relate to boldness, as well as Q&A from the audience.

The day’s first panel, “Tactical Boldness: Strength in Self,” focused on what boldness means to Mrs. Vinci Savettiere, Ms. Chapski, Melissa Levinson ’15 and Raleigh Dierlam ’09. The speakers addressed the challenges they have faced in their professional and personal lives and how the ability to be bold in the face of adversity meant something different to each of them.

“You’ll hear the word pivot a lot today,” Ms. Chapski said. “Being bold means not being afraid to make changes and embrace changes in your life.” Each of the panelists had at least one “pivot moment” in their careers to offer the audience, along with advice and personal experiences to share.

After the first panel, Dr. Emily Cherenack ’08 took the stage to connect her studies in psychology with the call to “Be Bold” through a values-based exercise where she asked the audience to clarify their personal values, differentiate personal from societal values and use personal values to help them to act boldly. Audience members engaged in the process, voraciously scribbling notes and sharing thoughts on what society has deemed a “perfect woman” should care about. Before lunch—when guests had the opportunity to network with one another and the panelists—Anita (Ricketts) Sarate ’88 gave a motivating presentation on turning courage on the inside to boldness on the outside.

With an audience of students, faculty, staff and Blair parents in attendance, the symposium concluded with a final panel of all speakers, moderated by Carolyn Conforti-Browse ’79. Attendees were not shy to ask the group questions, hoping to capitalize on the culmination of experience in the room. The panel represented courageous females at all stages of their career who didn’t hesitate to share what they could about their successes and failures.

“At Blair, you are swimming in opportunities to build your confidence,” Ms. Ricketts told the students in the room. “Seize those opportunities.”

Click "play" below to watch a recording of the 2023 Blair Women's Symposium.

Blair Buc

Over the past 175 years, many athletes have come to the hilltop to further their academic studies and hone their athletic skills. Thanks to their talent, tenacity and sportsmanship, each year a few standout graduates continue contributing to their sport and competing at the highest levels. The Blair Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to honor those individuals and announce the athletes and coaches chosen for the Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2023: Robert H. Dalling Sr. ’29, A. Jon Frere Hon. ’74, Christian C. Passannante ’92, David T. Low Jr. ’89, Sarah (Marcincin) Hartman ’07, Kellen Russell ’07 and the 1984-1985 Girls’ cross country team.

“It is a privilege to induct this year’s class into Blair’s Hall of Fame to honor their love and dedication to their passions,” Director of Athletics Paul Clavel ’88 said. “These coaches and alumni gave so much of themselves to the School and to their sport during their time on the hilltop and beyond, and they truly represent the excellence of the Blair Academy athletic program.”

To recognize and celebrate the outstanding athletic achievements of its alumni and coaches, Blair established an Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. In order to be considered for Hall of Fame membership, nominees must have exhibited the highest caliber of athletic accomplishment during their time at Blair and have been outstanding members of the School community in the areas of scholastic achievement, citizenship, integrity and moral character. Selection is based primarily on athletic accomplishments while a Blair student or coach, although subsequent achievement in athletics or other areas may be considered. Finally, alumni nominees become Hall-of-Fame eligible in the 10th year following their graduation, while coaches become eligible after their retirement from Blair.

Robert H. Dalling Sr. ’29

Bob Dalling Sr. was, no doubt, one of the founders of New Jersey wrestling. Nicknamed the “Father of Blair Wrestling,” he was known for his great sense of humor and became widely respected for his integrity and humility. Born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, before moving to Stillwater Township, New Jersey, Bob came to the hilltop in 1924, the same year the first scholastic wrestling program in New Jersey started at Blair. Bob served as captain of the Blair Academy team in 1929, then matriculated at Lehigh University, where he captured two Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association titles, while achieving a winning percentage of .895 at 126 pounds. 

While wrestling as a prominent member of the Lehigh University team during their first golden era, Bob began coaching at Blair. Coach Dalling nurtured, built and led Blair for 32 years over a 42-year period that spanned the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, coaching Blair’s first NCAA title winner and Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2017 inductee Michael Lieberman ’71. He was known as a strict disciplinarian, a superb teacher and a strong proponent of sportsmanship. In 1933, he engineered a 23-consecutive win streak, and throughout his career, his team won eight National Prep titles and had 28 place-winners in the National Prep Championships. 

Bob was inducted into the Sussex County Hall of Fame in 1993. After his passing in 1995, the New Jersey chapter of the National Hall of Fame posthumously honored him with the Lifetime Service Award to Wrestling.

To honor Bob’s legacy at Blair, the Robert H. Dalling Prize was established in 1972, awarded to the outstanding male athlete who best represents Blair Academy in athletic competition. In 2005, the Robert Dalling Sr. Wrestling Scholarship was established to honor Blair’s storied wrestling history in a way that Bob himself most certainly would have endorsed: a scholarship providing one deserving student the opportunity to attend Blair to study, wrestle and prepare for the future.

A. Jon Frere, Hon. ’74

Jon Frere joined the Blair Academy faculty in September 1966 as a full-time member of the language department, dormitory advisor and assistant coach. In the summer of 1970, he was appointed head football coach and Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Blair until 1984, when he founded the school’s lacrosse program.

As former Headmaster James R. Kelly wrote in 1987, “Virtually every one of (Jon’s) fourteen seasons as head coach were winning ones, but more important than that was the sense of spirit, of accomplishment, of pride, and of camaraderie which he was able to develop in his teams.” In 1994, Jon established the A. Jon Frere Scholarship to be awarded to a student in good academic standing whose involvement in all aspects of school life enhances the quality of the academic, athletic and extracurricular programs at Blair Academy.

Christian C. Passannante ’92 

As a newcomer to Blair, Christian Passannante quickly caught the attention of his coaches as a three-sport athlete, participating in soccer, swimming and lacrosse. Turning his focus to swimming, he excelled in the pool throughout his time on the hilltop, and his coach, the late Dr. Richard E. Clarke Jr., took notice. “He is one of the most enthusiastic, talented and hard-working swimmers that I’ve ever had and I certainly look forward to another successful season for him,” Dr. Clarke wrote.

Christian broke multiple pool and school swimming records and still holds the current school record for 200m freestyle set in 1991. During his junior and senior years, he earned the title of High School All-American in the 200m freestyle and 50/100m freestyle and was named to the top 15 national high school list for the 200m freestyle in Swimming World Magazine.

Christian matriculated at the University of Tennessee, where his swimming legacy continued. He was a multiple All-American, leading his team to two third-place finishes and one second-place finish in 1995 in the SEC. Christian’s senior year culminated in a first-place team finish in the conference and a spot on the SEC Scholar Honor Roll.

David T. Low Jr. ’89

Dave Low Jr.’s tenure at Blair started well before he stepped foot in a classroom, moving to the hilltop at the age of 8 with his family, when his father, Dave Low Sr., took the role of Assistant Headmaster. When it came time to join the Class of 1989, Dave hit the ground running as a three-sport athlete in soccer, basketball and lacrosse. The latter swiftly developed into a passion, and Dave became a top-scorer for Blair Lacrosse, becoming the New Jersey state career scoring leader—and holding that title—for two decades. In the 1980s, he was even selected as New Jersey’s “Player of the Decade.” Dave’s leadership on and off the field led to three captain titles in his respective sports and membership to the Cum Laude Society at Blair.

As a college sophomore and junior, Dave helped Middlebury’s lacrosse team secure two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships, and he led the team in goals his senior year with 42 in 15 games. In 1993, Dave won Middlebury College’s John P. Stabile Award, presented annually to a member of a men’s team who best exemplifies the Middlebury spirit. 

Dave’s love of lacrosse led to him coaching Bainbridge High School’s boys’ lacrosse team in Bainbridge Island, Washington, and he served as a longtime board member of the Washington State Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse. He was inducted into the Washington State Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2013.

Sarah (Marcincin) Hartman ’07

At the time of her graduation, Sarah (Marcincin) Hartman’s field hockey and lacrosse coach said, “She’s the most amazing athlete in both sports I’ve ever seen.” Her college counselor echoed those sentiments, sharing an anecdote from the time Sarah hit a ball so hard in a field hockey game that it actually broke, grounding play to a halt as players, coaches, referees and spectators looked on in disbelief.

“Not surprisingly, Sarah Marcincin is one of the top field hockey players in the country, and perhaps the best female athlete ever to attend Blair,” she said. During her career, Sarah garnered nine varsity letters, four in both field hockey and lacrosse and one in basketball. Sarah is the School’s all-time scoring leader for lacrosse with 223 goals and 101 assists from 2004 to 2007, winning back-to-back Lacrosse Prizes in 2006 and 2007, and earning First Team All-Prep and All-MAPL for lacrosse from 2004 to 2006. Sarah scored 50 goals and 45 assists from 2003 to 2006 in field hockey, receiving the Field Hockey Prize and earning First Team All-Prep and All-MAPL for field hockey from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, Sarah received Blair’s William Zester Prize, given to the female athlete who best represents Blair in competition. Sarah’s legacy continued through college as a four-year starter at Northwestern University, where she was selected captain as a junior, Second-Team All-Big Ten her senior year and earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition. 

Kellen Russell ’07

During his senior year, fierce competitor and dynamic leader Kellen Russell was described as a shining example for other high-level athletes at Blair Academy. Throughout his four years, he won three National Prep Titles, received invitations to prestigious senior events such as the Dapper Dan and Dream Team Classic, captained the wrestling squad and won a Senior National title at the National High School Coach’s Association Nationals. Kellen was the 2007 recipient of the 2007 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award and was a member of the Wrestling USA Dream Team. Among his other accolades, Kellen earned championship titles at major tournaments, including the Junior Freestyle Nationals, Cadet Freestyle Nationals, Beast of the East and Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament. 

Kellen’s wrestling success took him to the University of Michigan, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American, winning two NCAA Championships and four Big Ten Championships. Boasting an overall college record of 134-12, Kellen went undefeated his junior year and was named the University of Michigan’s Athlete of the Year twice. He won the 2012 Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships and the 2008 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award. After college, he continued to train on the international scene with the hopes to make the World and Olympic teams. Currently, Kellen is an assistant coach at Cornell University.

1984-1985 Girls’ Cross Country Team

In the fall of 1984, the girls’ cross country team became the first at Blair to take home the state championship for their sport. Despite the years that have passed, former head coach and history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, Hon. ’81 still remembers the day the girls’ team won the state championship on Blair’s course fondly.

“Certain moments resonate in a coach’s memory,” Dr. Miller said. “It was almost 40 years ago when our leading runners emerged from the hills in the top three positions.” Sisters Dana (Post) Murray ’85 and Christine Post ’86 had led the team throughout the 1984 season along with Lyn (Avery-Jones) Brabant ’89. On that day, four decades ago, they were poised just one lengthy, rectangular field away from victory. “As they rounded the soccer fields, I can still picture Lyn’s dad, the Rev. Peter Amerman, Blair’s longtime chaplain, coaching soccer and being distracted by his daughter racing by with abandon. Our athletes held their places to the finish line and garnered the first such trophy for the girls’ cross country team; it was a good day,” Dr. Miller recalls. 

Christine Parker ’85, Jennifer (Kapp) Spinks ’86, Theresa (Colton) Rooth ’88 and Anita (Ricketts) Sarate ’88 rounded out the squad that fall. With an undefeated dual season, the team also won the Newark Invitational Championships. Individually, Dana finished the season undefeated.


Learn more about the Athletic Hall of Fame selection process and view bios of Athletic Hall of Fame inductees here.
Suggest nominees for the Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2024 here by December 31, 2023.
 

Trisha Prabhu

Indian revolutionary and political ethicist Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” That’s exactly what Trisha Prabhu did when she founded ReThink, an organization and global movement to tackle cyberbullying and redefine Internet culture to be more positive. On Tuesday, March 28, Blair students and faculty will get a chance to hear how the young “change agent” brought her idea to fruition at Skeptics. 

 

“ReThink came out of an experience that I had as a young individual who both experienced and witnessed others falling victim to bullying and harassment,” said Ms. Prabhu in a pre-event interview. “As a teenager, I read stories about young individuals experiencing extreme cyberbullying and harassment and I remember feeling so frustrated that that was our status quo. I wanted to disrupt that status quo and make the Internet kinder and more inclusive.”

 

At the age of 13, little did Ms. Prabhu know that her desire would pave the way to her becoming founder of an invention that major conglomerates, such as Google and Microsoft, and world famous leaders, including presidents of nations, would celebrate. 

 

Today, in addition to her role as CEO of ReThink, Ms. Prabhu is studying at University of Oxford in the United Kingdom as a Rhodes Scholar. There, she is learning how to build additional technology and policies to counter harmful online speech. Ms. Prabhu graduated from Harvard University with a bachelors of arts degree in Government and Technology.

 

“A lot of my (current) work is to try and get young people to think critically about their digital footprint. Is their digital identity as strong as the one they have in person?” asked Ms. Prabhu.

 

When asked to speak at Blair, moreover, Ms. Prabhu was excited to reminisce. “When I heard about the Society of Skeptics program at Blair Academy, I was blown away by the fact that such a program for young students even existed, because when you’re young, you’re thinking about what matters to you, what kind of change do you want to create in the world and which role models you can look to,” she said.

 

“I  benefited at that age from those kinds of initiatives so I can’t wait to visit and offer my tips and advice. I also want to offer advice on how to bring ideas to fruition. You have to do two fundamental things: find some part of an issue you really care about and figure out what your ‘special sauce’ or special skill set is that you can use to make a change.”

 

All are invited to hear Ms. Prabhu speak in the forum of the Chiang-Elghanayan Center next Tuesday at 7 p.m.


History of Skeptics

The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.

The program, which is funded in part by the Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund, is an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller and his successor, history department chair Jason Beck, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are thought-provoking, engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please visit Blair’s website.

 

Michael Weaver

Michael Weaver has a gift that extends beyond the physical representation of his artwork. His talent is not only creating mixed media pieces, but also showcasing the juxtaposition of his subjects. The “(Un)Common Threads” that bind life and death, fine art and craft, darkness and light, and so much more of our daily lives are the connecting ties symbolized in Mr. Weaver’s upcoming exhibition in the Romano Gallery from March 22 to April 21.

Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Mr. Weaver crafted his skill at Kutztown University, where he received a BFA in crafts with a focus in fibers and a BS in art education. Most recently, he earned his graphic design certification at the California Institute of the Arts. Now a Philadelphia resident, Mr. Weaver is most comfortable focusing on his work in his home studio filled with multiple pieces at various stages of completion as each new idea inspires him.

“In my upcoming exhibition, I hope students see that growth and change is important for any artist,” Mr. Weaver said. “You may look back at your oldest work and imagine what you may have done better, but without that first step, you would not be where you are now. It's that first knot in the embroidery that acts as the anchor for a piece to hold on to. Without it, you risk it all falling apart.”

Mr. Weaver often uses the vestiges of life forms as inspiration, and in this exhibit, skulls emerge as a recurrent motif. Beginning with an illustration, the artist delicately embellishes each piece with embroidery, exploring the meaning that his subjects hold with each layered composition.  “Since college, I have continually explored the combination of fiber embroidery with what are considered very traditional mediums for fine art making,” Mr. Weaver explained. “I explore different base mediums and substrates, as well as different subjects, before finding my muse in the remains of the creatures I use as subjects.”

Mr. Weaver’s collection of fine art embellished with embroidery has been showcased in exhibits across the country and in Australia. During his exhibition in the Romano Gallery, an artist’s reception will be held on March 30, beginning at 7 p.m., and members of the public are welcome to attend.
 

Karen Baum Gordon

Renowned author and co-founder of Strategic Horizons, Inc., an executive coaching and management consulting firm, Karen Baum Gordon made her first appearance at Skeptics on Tuesday, March 21, to talk about the process of writing and the message of her book, The Last Letter: A Father’s Struggle, a Daughter’s Quest and the Long Shadow of the Holocaust.

“I am the daughter of Rudolf Baum, a Holocaust survivor whose stymied efforts to save his parents had multigenerational effects,” says Ms. Gordon. “The Last Letter focuses on the story of my father and the long shadow of the Holocaust that took the lives of my grandparents and irrevocably altered my father’s life and my own and had impact on my sons’ lives.”

Based on archival documents, correspondence and photos, Ms. Gordon’s memoir is about relationships, forgiveness, identity and the perseverance to learn more about a loved one’s history. All of those, Ms. Gordon alludes, are important elements of life that impact high schoolers.

“Now is the time to find out more about your family’s history or simply important people in your life whom you want to know more about,” advised Ms. Gordon. “Ask the questions now; get people to talk now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

For Ms. Gordon, the events of her and her family’s lives led to her realization that life is about “ordinary people helping other ordinary people.”

“Although I’m not a historian or scholar, I’ve told my family’s stories and realized that it’s about having curiosity, jumping in some place as a starting point, and being determined. Understanding one’s own history is enriching and essential and the rewards from that understanding are never-ending.”

After graduating from Harvard College for her undergraduate degree and Columbia University for her master’s in business, Ms. Gordon co-founded Strategic Horizons, Inc. Prior to that, she served as a consultant at McKinsey & Co., managed several NYC restaurants, and trained as a chef in France and the United Kingdom. Today, Ms. Gordon lives with her husband and black Labrador in Brooklyn, New York. She is the proud mother of two sons and is an active member of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue.

From her talk, Ms. Gordon said she has but one hope for the young students, to realize that “So much of how your life unfolds is about whom you meet and when you meet them.”

Click "play" below to watch Ms. Gordon's Skeptics presentation. 


History of Skeptics
 
The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.
The program, which is funded in part by the Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund, is an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller and his successor, history department chair Jason Beck, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are thought-provoking, engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please visit Blair’s website.

2023 Winter Sports Banquet Awardees

As the new season’s sports begin training during spring break, Blair recognizes all the remarkable achievements our athletes have accomplished so far this year. Displaying excellence across many fields, Bucs posted winning seasons and broke school records. This winter included the 10th state championship and 12th consecutive MAPL championship for girls’ basketball, the second consecutive MAPL championship for boys’ basketball, and a national prep championship for the wrestling team—their 41st in program history. 

Additionally, individual state champions were crowned and a few were elevated to the national stage. Isaac Greene ’24 placed first in the 1600-meter race at the NJISAA Indoor Track Championship. Skier Morgan Celley ’25 won the overall NJISRA Race of Champions title, with first-place finishes in the Race of Champions slalom and giant slalom. Last—but certainly not least—even though their season ended in the fall, varsity field hockey players Ella Gaitan ’24 and Milaw Clause ’24 were recently selected for the USA U18 National Field Hockey team. Ella and Milaw led scoring for the Bucs last year and helped Blair secure the 2022 NJISAA Prep A State Championship. They will be competing internationally throughout the summer representing the United States. 

“All the student-athletes represented Blair with great sportsmanship and put forth the effort that aligns with Blair’s tradition of excellence,” said Paul Clavel ’88, Blair’s Director of Athletics. “There is no doubt that strong bonds were made within the teams as they faced many experiences that strengthened them through the season.”

On Wednesday, March 1, Blair honored the winter varsity teams for their impressive season at the annual varsity awards banquet. Congratulations to the 2022-2023 winter varsity prize winners! 

Brooks Prize Girls’ Basketball: Ella Sloan ’23
Leroy Haskins Prize (Boys’ Basketball): Carnegie Johnson ’23
Leroy Haskins Prize (Boys’ Basketball): Jayden Lemond ’23
Leroy Haskins Prize (Boys’ Basketball): Ian Imegwu ’23
The Captain’s Trophy (Swimming): Piper Summers ’24
The Captain’s Trophy (Swimming): Jason Zhao ’24
Blair Squash Prize: Mallory Allen ’23
Blair Squash Prize: Marc Lui ’23
Winter Track Award: Petra Taylor ’24
Winter Track Award: Isaac Greene ’24
Merit Ski Award: Patrick Payne ’23
Merit Ski Award: Paige Celley ’25
Lieberman Wrestling Prize: Josh Anthony ’24
James C. Jamieson Award (Wrestling): Liam Kilrain ’23
 

Highlights from the 2023 Headmasters Societies Games
Last Saturday evening, the 20th anniversary of Blair Academy’s Headmasters’ Societies Games culminated with a spectacular talent show that saw Team Howard take this year’s crown. In the visual essay below, photography teacher Tyson Trish, student photographers and video specialist CJ Palanca offer a few highlights of the week that had students, faculty and staff engaging in all manner of high jinx for the School’s annual tradition, from facing off in “dragging boats” and flag football to mixing it up at the spelling bee and brain games. 
 

 
 
 
 

For more photos of happenings across campus and beyond, please check out Blair Academy on Photoshelter, where we regularly post images.

Race in America class 2023 Anna Raley

Outside the student life office in Clinton Hall, students can learn about the early life of Malcolm X and his views on injustices that are still poignant today. Travel farther down the halls to understand Ida B. Wells’ work in the anti-lynching campaign and how James Meredith helped secure fundamental human rights—such as sharing a classroom today with students of other races.

These projects scattered on the bulletin boards through Clinton mark the first signature assessment in history teacher Anna Raley’s Race in America course that examines the question “What is race?” through the lens of American history. To lay the groundwork for this signature assessment, the class first discussed what activism is, along with why it is vital to society. From there, each student had the opportunity to make the project their own by selecting an activist to research and a medium to present their work. 

“For some historical figures, students had heard their names and wanted to know the full story,” Ms. Raley said. “There are things we never learn about, and this project gave students a chance to go beyond the known narrative.” They were able to learn more about some of the historical figures they had only scratched the surface of in previous classes or choose someone they had a cultural or personal connection to for their research topic.

As a fellow athlete, Royce Mulholland ’23 researched legendary baseball player Hank Aaron and highlighted his work as an activist and the adversities he endured during his career. For her project, Ari Albino ’23 created a website outlining the activism and achievements of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). Ari chose her for all she has accomplished at a young age and her ability to stay true to herself through her work.  

“She leans into her culture rather than shutting it out,” Ari explained. “Coming from a Hispanic family in a predominantly white community, it can be difficult to appreciate what my culture has to offer, but seeing important figures like AOC do it, makes it easier to appreciate.”

Empowering students to make decisions in their learning endeavors is fundamental to the Blair experience. Teachers like Ms. Raley find students are more engaged in the subject matter and eager to participate when they have a voice in the direction it is taking. Faculty foster dialogue rather than relying heavily upon lecturing and students learn to feel comfortable sharing their insights and opinions.

“They’ve all been amazing,” Ms. Raley said. “They want to exchange ideas, and they’re willing to do the work.” Through current event discussions, Ms. Raley guides the class in connecting the lessons they are learning from the past with their everyday lives. As students see or read news stories on their own time, more of them are sharing these topics with her to spark conversation or ideas for the next class.

Signature programs at Blair, like J-term and Black History Month seminars, encourage students to fully comprehend the material they are learning and share it with the community. Projects like these reaffirm that mission and challenge students to share their newfound knowledge with others at Blair. The class will continue discussions of Race in America throughout the yearlong course, considering issues such as immigration, labor, crime, wealth, education, and ever-shifting legal identifications along racial and ethnic lines.
 

Jen Pagotto European Tour Concert 2015

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blair Academy Symphony Orchestra and Singers will set sail on a European performance and cultural tour March 2 to 11. With stops in London, Cambridge and Paris, the performers will take in the sights and sounds of England and France, including tours, museums and shows. At each location, Blair students will share their music at public performances in historical venues open to Blair families and alumni.

“I am so excited for Blair’s music students to showcase our hard work on tour at beautiful venues in London and Paris,” harpist and singer Chloe Lau ’23 said. “We’ve got a wide repertoire lined up for the orchestra, from the magnificent Dvořák’s ‘New World Symphony’ to the calming ‘The Road Home’ by composer Stephen Paulus.”

The troupe’s first visit is London, England, where they will embark on guided tours of the British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe and Westminster Abbey. Students will have the opportunity to attend a West End show, opera or concert during their stay as well. To cap off their trip to the capital city, the Symphony Orchestra and Singers will perform at Stationer’s Hall, one of the few ancient Livery Halls remaining in London, completed in 1673. 

From London, the group will venture on to Cambridge, with a performance at Cambridge University’s Great St Mary’s Church. When they aren’t performing, students will take in the world-famous King’s College Choir singing Evensong, a 470-year-old monastic tradition that promotes quiet contemplation at the end of one’s day. Tours of Cambridge University and The Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Madingley, the only permanent American military World War II cemetery in the United Kingdom, will follow. Of course, the adventure continues on the Eurostar Chunnel train to Paris!

An afternoon on a Seine River cruise and the chance to study DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa” and the ancient Greek “Venus de Milo” in person at the Louvre Museum will be highlights of the cultural tour in Paris. Before returning to the States, students will take part in a final performance at the Gothic Chartres Cathedral. As part of the cathedral’s International Concert Series, Blair’s choir members and instrumentalists will take the stage within the church’s soaring interior, under stained glass windows that have survived since the Middle Ages. They will experience the magic of hearing their notes fill spaces that once held the coronation of kings, and if they are lucky, students may even have time to wind through the cathedral’s labyrinth before they leave….

“We are so excited to be challenging our students to grow through this first-hand experience,” notes Director of Instrumental Music Jennifer Pagotto, who is leading the trip along with Director of Vocal Music Ryan Manni. “The chance to experience some of Europe’s most historic performance spaces and share repertoire they have spent months rehearsing is just incredible.” 

After the tour, Blair will share with our community a behind-the-scenes look at the trip as a whole, so stay tuned!

(Note: Image above is from a previous year.)

CEO & Entrepreneur Craig Powell ’96 Returns to Blair for Skeptics

Sometimes you meet an individual, hear their life story, and can’t help but think, “That’s the kind of story you only read about in books or see in movies.” At least, that is how it is when you meet and hear from founder of ConnectEDU and former CEO of Motus, Inc., Craig Powell ’96.

Joking that he grew up in a “cornfield in Maryville, Missouri,” Mr. Powell went on to attend one of the most prestigious Ivy League schools, Brown University, after a shoulder injury forced him to forgo his commitment to the United States Military Academy (West Point). 

Blair Academy is most excited to welcome back their once-postgraduate to speak at his first Society of Skeptics on Tuesday, February 28, where he’ll talk about his unique life story and how he managed to turn the circumstances he was given into successes as opposed to setbacks.

Mr. Powell’s story is something of an anomaly. By the time he reached eighth grade, Mr. Powell had served as head of his hometown’s 1991 middle school student council, shaken hands with the Missouri governor and won his school national recognition from President George W. Bush. Then, in high school, Mr. Powell was the only ninth grader to qualify for speech-and-debate nationals—something he did all four years of high school. He was also elected class president for all four years and ranked as one of the best wrestlers in the country. Specifically, he amassed a record sixty-three wins and zero losses in Missouri Class 1A wrestling, taking home the state championship title two years in a row in 1994 and 1995. By the end of that year, seven college wrestling coaches had offered the stellar student-athlete full-ride scholarships to their universities. 

But if he had already gone to high school, then what about Blair? Mr. Powell joined Blair Academy as a postgraduate in 1995 in order to receive a West Point foundation scholarship that would help the young student pay for college while providing a balance to his interests in leadership and academic curiosities that extended beyond the wrestling mat. 

“You think about these people in your lives who completely changed your trajectory. For me, many of those folks were former Blair wrestling coaches directly or indirectly associated with the School,” said Mr. Powell. 

Their advocacy led to the opportunity to attend Blair for one year. That year was all it took for Mr. Powell to not only fall in love with the School, but also for the School to have taken a liking to the gregarious, 189-pound star wrestler.
Fast-forward to the following year, and a shoulder injury forced Mr. Powell to forgo his plans to attend West Point and accept an opportunity to study at Brown University; a school he had never heard of until his life experiences brought him to Blair. From there, he went on to a short stint on Wall Street before founding ConnectEDU at age 22. He subsequently built and scaled Motus - which he sold in December 2021 for $1.5B, from $12M of value when he joined. Mr. Powell  is now investing in companies, running a youth development program named "Show-MeAcademy" as well as starting his next new thing. 

When looking back on his career and explaining how his life unfolded, the advice that comes to Mr. Powell's mind is, “I get told thousands of times all the reasons why my entrepreneurial projects won’t work. And, these objective observers are often correct. You can’t be singularly objective and be a visionary or entrepreneur...you have to be kind of crazy to start some of the things I have. But, when everyone else tells you why you can’t or why it won’t work, I always think to myself, ‘I have to find the one reason that it will. Today, that’s a formula for me.’”

Additionally, he says that much of his successes are thanks to the people he’s met at various stages in life, including Blair. “Thanks to Blair Academy, I’ve developed a good sense of listening to people and understanding individuals’ motives and how to connect to them. Blair was the first institution in my life that simply asked me - what do you want to achieve and how do we help you get there? It’s a special place because of all the dedicated and special people committed to Blair and its students.”

All are welcome to hear Mr. Powell speak in the forum of the Chiang-Elghanayan Center next Tuesday at 7 p.m.


History of Skeptics
 
The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.
The program, which is funded in part by the Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund, is an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller and his successor, history department chair Jason Beck, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are thought-provoking, engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please visit Blair’s website.

 

The four HMS Games houses cheer on their teams.

The Headmasters’ Societies Games started at Blair back in the winter of 2004. The brainchild of former Dean of Students David Vachris, the games were intended to create a week of physical and mental competitions that allow students, faculty and staff to go head-to-head to see which team would emerge victorious. Each team or “house” is named after legendary former Heads of School Dr. Charles Breed, Reverend Jim Kelley, Dr. Jim Howard and Dr. John Sharpe. Events vary quite a bit, ranging from dodgeball and volleyball to Oreo stacking and rock/paper/scissors; they culminate in the massive tug o’ war at the end of the week and the ever popular Talent Show that has, in the past, decided the overall winner.

winners of HMS games

The week is a highlight for many faculty as it offers a great chance to do something completely different from their normal Blair life. Kate Sykes, chair of the fine arts department, has been the faculty leader for Team Sharpe for several years and routinely dresses in her finest purple and gold garb that week (her team colors), while Latta Browse, math department chair, is so connected to his team that he went so far as to legally change his car’s license plate to “Breed.” 

Former students tune in all week, following the daily points and cheering on their team, indeed proving these games exist at the core of many Blair alumni. Team Breed currently has the lead overall with six wins, but Team Sharpe is at their heels with five and Teams Howard and Kelley with four each. Will this be a year for the underdogs? Tune in and see!

Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary kelley
 
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary rod
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
 
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
 
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
 
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary
Headmasters' Societies Games 20th Anniversary

Follow along on Blair's Instagram all this week for a Senior Class Council takeover to catch the live action from an insider perspective!

Clara Yan Gold Key Scholastic Art Awards

At Blair, students are afforded multiple opportunities to showcase their artwork across campus. A student exhibit is hosted during the fall and spring semesters in the Romano Gallery, weekly “Art Stars” are presented at School Meeting, and displays in The Black Canteen, Clinton Hall and the Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration provide a visible example of Blair’s integration of art across our curriculum and campus. But occasionally, captivating artwork is propelled beyond the hilltop to reach a broader community and garners the praise these young artists deserve.

This year, several Blair fine art students submitted artwork in The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ Scholastic Art & Writings Awards—ranging from pottery to photography—for the northern New Jersey art region. In total, Blair students received six Gold Key awards, five Silver Key awards and 10 Honorable Mentions.

“Contests are a great way to put yourself out there and see how other people respond to your work,” fine arts teacher Tyson Trish explained. “The Scholastic Awards offer students a bigger audience for their art.”

The Gold Key award recipients’ artwork will be showcased in an exhibition at Gallery Aferro from March 4 through March 25, 2023. A platform for the exchange of ideas in service of advancing human dignity and beauty, Gallery Aferro focuses on the visual arts and is proudly located in Newark, New Jersey. Blair’s student entries will advance to the national competition, where they will be considered for Gold Medal, Silver Medal with Distinction, Silver Medal and scholarship awards, which will be announced on the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards website Wednesday, March 22, at 5 p.m.  

Congratulations to all of our outstanding artists!

Gold Key Award Recipients
Maya Ciminello ’23
Oscar Wan ’24
Angela Wang ’24
Alice Xu ’26
Clara Yan ’24
Lily Yao ’25

Silver Key Award Recipients
Tania Lau ’24 (2)
Kas Strunk ’23
Oscar Wan ’24
(2)

Honorable Mention Recipients
Maya Ciminello ’23 (3)
Serena Khanna ’25 (2)
Tania Lau ’24
Oscar Wan ’24
Angela Wang ’24
Lily Yao ’25
(2)
 

Something Rotten! Winter 2023 Musical poster

Welcome to the Renaissance!

From February 16 to 18, audiences were invited to step back in time in the Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts, DuBois Theatre with the Blair Academy Players’ musical production of Something Rotten!

The New York Post called Something Rotten! “a deliriously entertaining musical comedy that brings down the house,” and the Center Theatre Group said, “With its heart on its ruffled sleeve and sequins in its soul, Something Rotten! is an uproarious dose of pure Broadway fun and an irresistible ode to musicals—those dazzling creations that entertain us, inspire us and remind us that everything’s better with an exclamation point!”

“It’s the ‘Year of the Bard,’” veteran theatre teacher and director Craig Evans explained. “The three plays this year work together so nicely with the hilarious theme, ‘Shakespeare has writer’s block!’” The Blair Academy Players commenced with Shakespeare in Love in the fall, and after this winter’s musical, an outdoor production of Love’s Labour’s Lost will conclude Blair’s 175th year in the spring. “The musical was our first choice,” Mr. Evans explained. “It drove the theme for the rest of the productions.” 

Set in the 1590s, Something Rotten! is the story of two brothers, Nick (David Sacks ’23) and Nigel (Chris Couri ’24) Bottom, attempting to make a splash in theatre behind the shadow of the famous playwright, William Shakespeare (Michael Diaco ’23). Through trials and tribulations—and a whole lot of singing and tap-dancing—the brothers create the world’s first musical. The musical first premiered on Broadway in 2015, with music and lyrics by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and a book by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick.

“No one is a tap dancer,” Ava Satasi ’23, who played Portia, said, laughing. “We all had to learn from scratch.”

Acting Dean of Students and choreographer Andee Ryerson was up to the challenge. "One of my favorite parts about choreographing the musical is taking kids that are convinced they ‘can't dance’ and helping them feel confident dancing on stage,” she said. As a “tap-heavy show,” Mrs. Ryerson was excited for the three senior tap solo performances by David, Michael and Seymour Thomas ’23 to showcase how much effort they put into their roles.

“The dancing is bonkers,” Seymour, who played Nostradamus, said. Along with fellow Senior Class Council member Michael, the duo joined the Players for the first time this year to step out of their comfort zones and try something new. 

“It’s been fun seeing people jump into new roles,” Hanna Wilke ’23, who played Bea, noted. “The cast is close and working really well together.”

Ava agreed, adding, “It’s a funny show, and we’ve had a lot of fun creating it and going all-in with the comedy.”

The musical is an all-hands-on-deck production, with time carved out during rehearsals each week for vocal lessons with Director of Vocal Music Ryan Manni, choreography with Mrs. Ryerson and blocking scenes with Mr. Evans and English teacher Kaye Evans, all while set design and buildings rise around them thanks to Technical Director Mike Ryerson. The accompanying pit orchestra, led by Director of Instrumental Music Jennifer Pagotto, includes veteran-Broadway and career musicians, as well as Tony Ni ’25 on trombone. The cast hopes that at the end of the night, the audience will see the effort they put into the show while sharing some laughs along the way.

“I hope everyone can see we put a little bit of ourselves into the characters to make it our own,” David said.
 

Aaron Rettaliata

Most alumni, regardless of their alma mater, might agree that the person they become is vastly different from the individual they thought they would be in high school, especially when it comes to their professional career. Yet, most alumni might also agree that high school is a great starting point for figuring out what one likes and dislikes. While on the hilltop, Blair alum Aaron Rettaliata ’96 didn’t know he would become a partner at McKinsey & Company, an organization named by Forbes as one of the world’s best management consulting firms, but the interests that would blossom into that career path were there. Returning to Blair to speak with the next generation of Bucs, Mr. Rettaliata’s biggest piece of advice is to “Try lots of things, and look for ‘themes’ of what you like. Then, find ways to link together those elements you find interesting into bigger parts of your life.” 

On Tuesday, February 14, Mr. Rettaliata revisited the hilltop to deliver his first Skeptics talk on his experiences at Blair, in and out of college, and current career at McKinsey & Company.

Upon graduating from Blair, Mr. Rettaliata studied at Cornell for both his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and master’s degree in business. Today, he sits at the helm of one of the world’s most prestigious global management consulting firms, where he serves retail and consumer goods companies on merchandising, marketing and strategy.

Of his accolades, Mr. Rettaliata shares that “Good things come with a lot of hard work, and opportunities present themselves when you least expect them,” an especially important note for high schoolers, who are just now beginning to embark upon their journeys, to hear. 

A northeast local from Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, Mr. Rettaliatta can’t wait to reconnect with his alma mater, especially at an event such as Skeptics, a program that he benefited from as well. 

“I've always found it a great forum for an exchange of ideas and experiences. If my experience can be helpful to the students, then I’m happy to add to that,” said Mr. Rettaliata.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to speak at Skeptics. Personally, I enjoyed hearing from people with different experiences that influenced my choices. Hopefully, I can help the students think about how the choices they make early on impact their careers later, and expose them to some new career ideas/paths they may not have thought about yet.”

To watch Aaron's presentation click play below.


History of Skeptics
 
The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.
The program, which is funded in part by the Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund, is an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller and his successor, history department chair Jason Beck, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are thought-provoking, engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please visit Blair’s website.

Students Explore the Cayman Islands

This past Long Winter Weekend, marine science, community service and daily exploration of the white sand beaches of Grand Cayman were on the itinerary for Blair students. The brainchild of longtime faculty member and current Associate Dean of Students Rod Gerdsen, the annual event focuses on marine conservation. This year, Mr. Gerdsen and his wife, Director of Admission Application Management Cassi Gerdsen, accompanied 15 ninth- through twelfth-graders to this “little piece of paradise” where everyone enjoyed the warm weather and the Caymanian culture.  

The trip included opportunities for students to get up-close-and-personal with many forms of marine life. They snorkeled at Coral Gardens, a prime location to see moray eels and damselfish, and then explored Stingray City, a natural gathering spot for southern stingrays at the mouth of the island’s bay. A trip to the Cayman Turtle Center allowed students to step into pools with juvenile green sea turtles and interact with these fascinating animals. Local birds such as the Scarlet Ibis were found in the aviary and were thrilled to be hand-fed by our students.

The Blair group also volunteered at Edna Moyle Primary School, on the north side of the island, where they assisted with an after-school program for nearly 50 students run by the YMCA. Face painting, soccer, giant Jenga and making new friends were the focus of the day.

“The Caymans trip was amazing,” said Chandler Glickman ’23, who felt that the experience helped strengthen her independence and leadership skills. “We had to challenge our fears by holding stingrays. The last day of the trip was arguably the best, though, because we spent time helping at the local elementary school. I was able to meet a young man who met my older sister Alex ’18 when she went on this trip long ago. It was an incredible experience to play with these children and learn about the Caymans from a local perspective.”

Christian DaBell ’24 cited his top three memories of the trip: spending time with new Blair friends on the beach, eating tasty island food and playing soccer with local kids. “It was great to meet new people from Blair and experience new things together,” he said. “In just a few days, I strengthened bonds with friends I’ve known for years and with people I just met. It will be great to continue to see one another on campus!”

This year marks Mr. Gerdsen’s 15th Blair trip to the Caymans, and, as always, he enjoyed introducing students, whether or not they are currently studying marine science, to the islands’ native tropical wildlife and habitats. “I hope students returned to Blair with a healthy respect and love for the marine world of the Caymans and for the culture of this island nation,” he said.