Monthly Musings
REVERENCE FOR GOD AND THE HUMAN PERSON
RESPECT FOR LEARNING AND ORDER
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY LIFE
This is the twelfth in an ongoing series of informal communications with Portsmouth Abbey School’s constituents. Current parents, alumni/ae, past parents and friends have all expressed an interest in hearing more about our school, more often. It is meant to be one element among a number of activities designed to keep you better informed about the School, the Monastery and our community.
Abbot Mark Returns to Campus: Abbot Mark Serna returned to campus in May after a 12 month sabbatical. The Abbot devoted last summer to spending time with his family in Nevada then spent September through November in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, where he lived at a Catholic ashram of Benedictine sisters who are devoted to contemplative life, hospitality and interreligious dialogue. After studying Islam and Hinduism in Oklahoma, Abbot Mark lived alone in a small house in the wilderness mountain area of northern New Mexico where he cooked, spent time with friends and did readings in Mahayana and Zen Buddhism. Abbot Mark will celebrate the Graduation Mass on Sunday, May 23.
Kimberley Taylor'06 Selected as Presidential Scholar: Kimberley Taylor'06 is one of two students from Rhode Island to be selected as a Presidential Scholar. The United States Presidential Scholars Program, established by Executive Order of the President to recognize and honor some of our Nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors, annually selects one male and one female student from each state on the basis of outstanding scholarship, service, leadership and creativity through a rigorous selection and review process administered by the US Department of Education. In June, Kim will travel to Washington, D.C. as a guest of the program for National Recognition Week: five days of educational, celebratory and fellowship activities which will culminate in a White House-sponsored event at which the Scholars will be awarded the Presidential Medallion. Kim will attend Williams College in the fall. To read more about Kimberley and her amazing achievements, click here.
Girls' Track Wins 3rd New England Championship in 6 Years: On Saturday, May 15th, in front of the home crowd, the Abbey girls' track team finished first out of 16 teams to win their third New England Prep School Division III Track and Field Championship. The two previous titles came in 1999 and 2000 and this marks an unprecedented 9th consecutive top 3 finish for the girls' track team at the NEPSTA meet. Boys' track finished 5th out of 17 teams. There were a number of outstanding individual performances turned in on the day. Kudos to Coach McDonough for his championship and nine-year string. For all sports events and results, visit the Athletics Page on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Haney Fellowship Winners are Announced: Four students were awarded Haney Fellowships last month. John "JJ" Rok'05 will attend a one-week film camp in NYC sponsored by the AMC Movie Channel and the New York Film Academy. Caitlin Nicholson'05 will attend the Young Dancers Workshop at the Bates College Dance Festival. Inigo Soriano'05 will attend the 'Latin in Rome' program, offered by the University of Dallas. Inigo hopes to conclude his trip with a retreat at Monte Cassino, the birthplace of the Benedictine Order. Collette Laflamme'05 will volunteer in a children's hospital in Romania as part of the Global Volunteers program. The Haney Fellowship was established by William M. Haney, III '80, in honor of his father, Bill Haney, to provide a Fifth Form student with a unique educational experience during the summer before the Sixth Form year. Bill Haney was a member of the Portsmouth Abbey School faculty from 1968 to 1991. As a chemistry teacher, housemaster and golf coach he influenced a generation of Abbey graduates. Congratulations to all recipients.
Confirmandi: 37 Third Formers, 3 Fourth Formers, and 1 Sixth Former were confirmed by Abbot Matthew Starkat during the Confirmation Mass at Church of St. Gregory the Great on Sunday, May 2. Congratulations to all. Click here for a complete list of confirmandi.
Student Council Elections: Fifth Formers, Ronan Babbitt of Marion, MA and Steve Hess of Portsmouth were voted the Student Body President and Vice President for the 2004-05 school year. Congratulations.
Aquidneck World Affairs Essay Contest Finalist Honored: Courtney Mitchell'06 was honored as a finalist in the 2004 Aquidneck World Affairs Essay Contest on April 26. The essential question of this year's contest was: 'What interests do you believe are most critical to the United States, and how do you think the United States can best carry out its important role in the world today.' This year's contest was dedicated to Portsmouth Abbey student Ali Sacco who won the award last year.
Prom 2004, A Glorious Event: The annual Prom for Fifth and Sixth Form students and their dates was held at the Glen Manor House in Portsmouth, Rhode Island on May 8. Glen Manor House is the site of the former Elmhurst School that many alumni will remember up until the early '70s. A record 180 students enjoyed the beautiful evening in their formal attire. The evening included the taking of formal photographs, a full catered buffet and dancing. Visit the Photo Galleries to view pictures of this special event.
Coincidence? Williams College Professor and Chair of Math and Statistics Department, Edward Burger delivered a Dom Luke Childs Lecture on April 27th. Professor Burger's presentation asked the question, "How Surprising are Surprising Coincidences?" and was followed by a meeting with a statistics class and lunch with students and faculty. For more information on this lecture and Professor Burger, visit the News Archive of the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Faculty Members Attend AISNE Lecture at Fay School: On April 27, faculty members, Rosemary Fagan, Robert Rainwater and Aroline Seibert traveled to the Fay School to listen to Dr. Mel Levine. Mel Levine is a professor of pediatrics at the UNC Medical School. He was a Rhodes scholar, went to Harvard Medical School and wrote A Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness. Dr. Levine discussed one of his core beliefs that, "different minds learn differently". He gives students the terminology to identify what they need to work on and avoids labeling kids with diseases such as ADD. He is founder and co-chair of All Kinds of Minds, a nonprofit institute.
America and the World: To conclude the US History Lecture Program, the History Department faculty staged a panel discussion on May 12. The history teachers played the roles of international diplomats and offered international perspectives on the United States. Panel members included Sheik al Ali Wola, Minister of Information for Iran (Mr. Hobbins), Mr. Hu Jintao, President of China (Mr. Garman), Mr. Henri Richard, French Ambassador to the US (Mr. Smith), and Mr. Jack Armstrong, Deputy Secretary of State (Mr. Gittus). Dr. Zilian moderated the panel. A lively question and answer period followed the presentations.
From the Admissions Office: On April 27, 12 educational consultants were treated to a tour of the School, lunch and a class visit while on their way through Southeastern New England. The consultants were awestruck by the beauty of the campus and the Carnegie Abbey Club, and noted the sincerity of Portsmouth Abbey students. Following the tour, Associate Director Meghan Fonts and Assistant Director Kristen Naspo met the group in Boston at the Independent Educational Consultants Association Conference, which featured over 1200 school and program representatives from across the US. The Admissions Office would also like to recognize Pat Tobin'05, PJ Arroyo'06, Allie DeSisto'05, Steve Hess'05, Alan Lim'05, Lexie Gralton'05, Paul Willis'05, Abby Rich'06, and Collette LaFlamme'05, who have been chosen as the 2004-2005 Red Key Head Tour Guides. This group will be responsible for training tour guides, assigning tours and following up with perspective families and students. To find out more about the activities of the Office, please visit the Admissions page on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Office of College Counseling Update: The Office continues to be busy as the Spring Term winds down. On April 16, third and fourth form students listened to a presentation from James Richardson, Alumni Admissions Coordinator at College of the Holy Cross. James provided the students with an overview of the college application process and spent time answering their questions. The Fifth Form met with Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Director of Admission at Union College. Her presentation dealt with identifying colleges of interest, interviewing, essay writing and college visits. The Fifth Form students were able to draw on what they had learned that morning when they attended the Independent School College Fair held at Moses Brown on April 27. The fair was sponsored by Portsmouth Abbey, Providence Country Day, Lincoln, Wheeler and Moses Brown, and was attended by representatives from over one hundred colleges. To learn more about the College Counseling Program, click here.
Spring Sports Teams Continue Their Success: Both Boys' and Girls' Track and Field finished the dual meet season with 9-1 records, the loss coming for each team to Thayer Academy. The victories included wins against St. George's on May 5. On May 8, Portsmouth Abbey played host to the third annual SENE Track and Field Championships where both teams won their third consecutive SENE titles over Moses Brown, Hyde School, Wheeler School, and RI Deaf. Abbey Sailing recently won the RI State Championship. Softball avenged early season woes, with victories over Wheeler, Beaver Country Day and Woodward. Boys' Lacrosse sits at 7-6 with convincing wins over St. Thomas More and Rocky Hill. Girls' Golf recently won its first ever match with a 4-1-1 win over Noble & Greenough. In the recent Independent School Classic, all four Abbey golfers placed in the top 25 of the 52-golfer field, including two top ten finishes in the nine-hole tournament. For a complete update of sports events and results, visit the Athletics Page on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Varsity Softball Hits a Homerun at The Potter League for Animals: On May 1st, the varsity softball team visited The Potter League for Animals in Middletown. The team toured the grounds, played with the animals and helped with yard work: raking leaves, pulling weeds, trimming hedges and rebuilding a stonewall. The Potter League for Animals is a private non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of animals. For pictures visit, the Photo Galleries of the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Portsmouth Abbey School Community Walks for Cancer: Portsmouth Abbey School held its 4th Annual Walk for Cancer on Sunday, April 18th, as over 100 members of the school community, family and friends enjoyed the spring weather by walking the picturesque two-mile trail on campus. Keith Hoffmann'05 was the principal organizer for the event, which raised more than $5,000 for the American Cancer Society. North End Pizza contributed pizza as incentive for students to fundraise. Since its inception in 2001, the student-organized Walk for Cancer has raised over $15,000.
No Time Like the Present: With over $760,000 committed to the Annual Fund the 2003-04 campaign is within striking distance of the $900,000 goal. Generous support from alumni, parents and friends helps provide Portsmouth Abbey with a margin of financial flexibility that is a key factor in the School's ability to provide students with tremendous opportunities. Please take a moment to lend your support by accessing the quick and easy on-line giving feature found on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Alumni Novel Reviewed by New York Times Sunday Book Review: John Gregory Dunne's'50 final novel (he passed away around Christmas), 'Nothing Lost: Even the Innocent Are Guilty', was featured in the New York Times' May 2 Sunday Book Review. His picture graced the cover. The novel depicts the story of a black drifter, his killers and a publicity-hungry supermodel and was given a resounding, "thumbs up" by author and reviewer Ward Just.
SCHOOL TIES ARE BACK! Visit the Bookstore to view and purchase your new school tie!
The Answer to the April Musings Question: “What was the last undefeated varsity team for the school?" The 2000 Girls' Track Team was not only undefeated in the regular season, but they also won the Newport County and New England Championships, finishing the season as undefeated New England champions. (And they've done it again!)
In addition, the '04 Varsity Girls' Golf Team (and first ever Portsmouth Abbey Girls' Golf Team) was undefeated this year, with a record of 1-0.
The May Question of the Month: What do these people have in common: Peter G. Fitzgerald'78, Dr. Fay Vincent, Dr. Andrew H. Card Jr., John Gregory Dunne'50, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and William D. Ruckelshaus'51. Please email answers to communications@portsmouthabbey.org
If you have questions, comments, or ideas, please contact Tony Klemmer tklemmer@portsmouthabbey.org or Jim De Vecchi jdevecchi@portsmouthabbey.org. We welcome the opportunity to communicate with you.
Tony Klemmer '73
Assistant Headmaster
Institutional Stewardship |
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Jim De Vecchi
Headmaster |
