Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

Wildwood Our

12 2 28

Launching Brave Seniors

Into the Wild: A Reflective Journey

Gracie Dixon ’09 Curates Our First Alumni Art Exhibition

8 SUMMER 2016 VOLUME 39

t a b l e o f c o n t e n t s

WHAT’S INSIDE:

Letter From Landis ................................................................................................... 1 Upper School Feature: Launching Seniors: This Is What Brave Learners Look Like ........................................................ 2 Middle School Feature: Into the Wild .............................................................................................................. 12 Elementary School Feature: ASM Meets ZPD: What’s That? ....................................................................... 15 Wildwood Athletics: A Year in Review ...................................................................................................... 18 Assistant Director of Elementary School Retires ................................ 20 Book Shelf ................................................................................................................... 22 Good to Know: Meet New Board Members ................................................................................. 23 oh snap! ........................................................................................................................ 24 Alumni Voice: Gracie Dixon ’09 Defining Values: A Wildwood Hallmark ........................................................ 28 Class Notes ................................................................................................................. 29 Perspectives: Cameron S. ’20 ........................................................................................................ 32 Upcoming Events ..................................................................................................... 33 Backwards Glance: Moments With Melissa—

Special thanks to the following student contributors: Olivia A. ’25 for her book review on page 22, Jude M. ’20 for her book review on page 22, Ryder M. ’19 for his book review on page 22, Lela S. ’18 for her photo on page 32, Cameron S. ’20 for his essay on page 32.

l e t t e r f r o m l a n d i s

Dear Friends,

I could go on. I could talk about the young drummer who oh-so-bravely stepped out from behind her drum set a few years back and soloed with her band. I was in the audience the first time she did it, when she wasn’t entirely pleased. And I was there the second time she did it, when she brought the house down. It was exhilarating. We were all proud with and of her. Each moment of bravery—on the elementary stage, on our fields and courts, during presentations of academic work at competitions on the state and national

OF THE MANY CELEBRATIONS AND RITES OF PASSAGE that mark the end of any academic year at Wildwood School, Gateways and Senior Exhibitions are among those most often discussed by members of the school community. Any of us who’ve been present for these remarkable demonstrations of learning understand why. One of my favorite funny stories? A father remarking during the question-and-answer period, “Thanks, son. That’s the most I’ve heard you speak in two years.” How do students get there, standing in front of family, friends, faculty, and administrators, talking openly and with humility about both their strengths and their stretches, and the things they expect to be working on in the coming two years? Certainly, they’ve been guided by their advisors, friends, and others as they think about what to share—growth and “opportunities for growth” identified in recent years. They’ve kept portfolios of their work so they’ll have evidence to back up their reflections. They also live with the friendly threat of that question- and-answer period, when they know that if their teachers don’t keep them honest about what it is they need to work on, their parents—or some supportive, yet constructively critical, extended family member—will. I have the good fortune of a prime spot at elementary All School Meetings on Fridays, where the entire elementary student body, faculty, and many parents come together to mark the end of another week with music, presentations, games, birthday songs, and myriad other traditions unique to Wildwood. One of my favorite things to do is watch carefully as students walk past me, heading up to the stage to deliver a presentation, read aloud in front of 300-plus people for the first time, or simply stand and say their name and their age-to-be before becoming the recipient of a happy birthday song. Invariably, the look on a child’s face heading TO the stage is markedly different from the look heading back FROM the stage. They are relieved. The risk involved in heading up there to expose oneself, even in the safety of their school community, is the essence—and the start—of bravery, the theme of this issue of Our Wildwood.

levels—marks an individual student’s growth and comfort in operating with less and less of the safety net of direct instruction, without a specific to-do list provided by a teacher who’s teaching how to conform and align to the standard. Conformity and alignment aren’t where bravery lives. Bravery lives in the space where students are guided and cajoled and expected to be on the journey to becoming the very best version of themselves, different from their peers, and celebrating, every step of the way, the strength those differences reflect when we join together to create something new. Bravery is, and always has been, what Wildwood School is about. I hope you enjoy this issue of Our Wildwood as much as my colleagues and others have enjoyed the process and collaboration involved in preparing it for you.

Warm regards,

Landis Green Head of School

u p p e r s c h o o l f e a t u r e

Wildwood’s class of 2016 is attending some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation. This year’s acceptance list reflects the diverse passions, aspirations, and characters of these reflective and well-prepared seniors who have navigated the unpredictable college application process bravely, guided by faculty and college counselors who know them well. The alchemy between educator and learner comes across loud and clear in these six conversations with seniors.

LAUNCHING SENIORS: THIS IS WHAT

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 2/3

LEARNERS

CALEB

Caleb Zakarin, attending Wesleyan University Scott Johnson, math and science teacher

Before winter break, you gave a lesson on infinity and mentioned Gödel, Escher, Bach. I started reading it over winter break. Reading that book sparked my interest in math. When I first heard your advice, I wasn’t happy because I wanted you to solve my problem, but as funny as that answer is, it’s true—if you want to do better, you have to get more problems right. I sat down with an honors problem set and worked for hours and kept getting problems wrong, but after a while, I would get some right, and in conjunction with reading Gödel, Escher, Bach and hearing about these mathematicians failing, I realized I couldn’t mess around. I had to do the work. That was an important moment. I realized how to approach work, which is: If I want to do better, I need to ask myself, “What can I do?” After winter break in 10th grade, you asked me, “How do I improve in pre-calculus?” I said, “Get more problems right.” How did you respond to that advice? At Wildwood, you undertook a study of foundational mathematics in a graduate-school-like seminar. How did the collaborative nature of that work affect your mathematical development? C The collaborative approach made me realize that math can function the same way literature does. It can be a discussion; it can be throwing around ideas. Being in a group where I could bounce ideas off people and have them bounce ideas off me broadened my perspective and approach to mathematics.

S

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 4/5

You also have a passion for literature. Why is reading literature important?

I’ve always asked, “How can I look at something with new eyes?” Great literature pushes people to do that. I have a significant memory from 9th grade: I was interested in more academic reading, and a teacher gave me a few academic writings that I didn’t understand. I asked her, “How can I become a better reader?” She said, “The way you become a better reader is you just keep reading.” It’s the hard way, and it’s the best way. The more I read, the more vibrant my world becomes.

We have spent many hours discussing topics outside the classroom. What are the benefits of such interactions?

The most important part of my Wildwood experience was connecting with teachers on a meaningful level. I connected with teachers on issues I cared about and with teachers who pushed me to think critically. It’s been significant because the subjects I know best resulted from these outside-the- classroom experiences. The opportunity to work with teachers who cared about my learning outside the classroom was crucial to developing my own interests and exploring them.

What do you think makes Wildwood, Wildwood?

A

At Wildwood, the student’s voice is heard. When a student has a passion about something or is curious about learning something that might not be studied in the classroom, they have an opportunity to dive deeper into that subject. For me, philanthropy and nonprofit work is something that I’ve always been interested in—I’m going to study it in college—and I went to my history teacher in my junior year and asked her if she’d help me start a club. I’ve worked on that club a lot, and that was a part of me that I discovered through Wildwood. When I first met you, you were a little bit tentative. Now I see you as super confident. What do you think accounts for that shift? My Gateway presentation theme in Division Three [10th grade] was that I was a spectator versus a player. I kind of sat on the sidelines. I’d rather listen. I think that I’ve become a player because of the support I got from people who were able to encourage me. Growing and having the support of especially my teachers telling me that I can do it gave me confidence. Before, I didn’t think I was a leader. I was more of a bystander, kind of hidden. Opportunities like student ambassador and peer mentor have allowed me to be a leader in the things that I’m passionate about. J

JULIA

Julia Broudy, attending University of Wisconsin, Madison Annie Barnes, humanities teacher

During the college application process, did you end up going where you thought you would, or was there some sort of shift that happened? When I started the college application process, I was applying “Undecided” everywhere. It’s kind of interesting to take all these classes that you haven’t heard of before, and I like that idea. Then, as I did more research, I started finding things that I was really interested in. I ended up applying directly into the School of Human Ecology at Wisconsin, which only has six majors in it. So, for a big university, that’s tiny. I applied directly into this major called Community and Nonprofit Leadership. I got directly into it. Going from applying “Undecided” to actually

Why did you choose Wisconsin?

I’ve always known that I wanted to go somewhere big. I’m very grateful for the education that I got at Wildwood, and I think that it has allowed me to feel ready to go out into the world and experience something new. The major and the school I found kind of put those two together very easily for me. People in the Midwest are also really nice. They’re very friendly, which I like. And I think if I have my big winter coat, I’ll be just fine.

already knowing my major before going into my freshman year is a pretty big leap, I would say.

Was there a moment or incident that happened at Wildwood that changed the way you look at education or changed the way you look at your passion? The best example of that was my math class this year. I, and two other students, finished the pre-defined curriculum available at the school, so we met with our teacher and other administrators and we created our own class, a linear algebra class. Up until then, all the math that I was doing was just finding new ways to manipulate numbers. Finally in linear algebra, we went through different proofs and definitions, starting with axioms to create our own definitions and theorems and building a set of mathematics from the ground up. And that experience that Wildwood gave me—of being able to pick my own class and develop a curriculum that interested me and sparked my interests—is something unique to this school. Let’s fast-forward a little bit and think about the future now: college. Tell me a little bit about your college application process. To be very blunt, the college process sucks and is terrible for a lot of the people involved. Having said that, I don’t think there’s any place I would have rather done it than at Wildwood. I almost left Wildwood in 8th grade because I was worried about taking Advanced Placement classes and Wildwood doesn’t offer them. But now, having talked to friends who have taken AP classes and having submitted college applications, the idea of APs doesn’t make sense to me. At Wildwood, I’ve learned the same content as a lot of APs. I was able to take the calculus I AP test. Here, I was able to take classes that were more suited to what I wanted to do and what I wanted to learn. When it came time for college applications, rather than listing AP classes, I got to list different activities and accomplishments that wouldn’t have been allowed with the very set curriculum AP offers. I can talk about the different things I’ve built in my STEM class and creating my own math class, which not only looks better on a college application but also feels better as a student. I have known probably since 8th or 9th grade that I wanted to do engineering. My decision came down to Berkeley and Michigan. They are almost the same in terms of engineering rankings. They have almost the same number of Nobel laureate professors. I spent a lot of time talking to faculty and students. I came to the conclusion that the people at Michigan are more invested in the individual’s learning and a more well-rounded experience. Because of that, I have chosen Michigan. M Why did you choose the University of Michigan? How did you make that choice?

H

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 6/7

MAX

Max Caplow, attending University of Michigan Herach Danlyan, math teacher

AMANDLA Amandla Stenberg, attending New York University Laura Forsythe, visual arts teacher

How has the sense of community at Wildwood impacted you as a learner?

letting other people dictate your choices and you fall into the college process just because that’s what everyone else is doing. Something I had to learn was that you go to college for your own learning and to shape your own life and what you want to do. What motivates you as a learner? How did you figure it out? I had to figure out how to handle hardship in my junior year because I was balancing so much. I had a lot of changes in my life that gave me a lot more responsibility, and at school, I was suddenly so deep in the college process. I had to figure out where my motivation for my schoolwork was coming from. Something that I learned in elementary school—just because that’s how the public system works—was to be motivated by other people, to be motivated to work out of fear—fear of getting a bad grade, fear of not going to college. I had this shift in 11th grade at Wildwood where that sense of motivation was no longer working for me. I had to figure out where it would come from. Part of that grit was learning to bring it out of myself, which is probably the most challenging thing that I’ve gone through, learning how to self-motivate instead of have other people motivate me.

L

One of the things that Zach [Menzer] and Lori [Strauss] were saying during our senior breakfast is that Wildwood students have this ability to reflect, and that has been integral to my education. I recognize now that I have this automatic notion to reflect after I’ve completed something, or after I’ve made a mistake, or after I’ve had a success. I just have this inclination to reflect on myself, reflect on how I’m changing, reflect on what I need to do next time. I’m not sure if that’s a thing that people learn very often in their lives, let alone learn in their school. That’s been very special for me. What was the college process like for you? Did you receive any useful advice? It was different for me because I was applying to a film program. My application was a film that I worked on really intensely. I think the best advice that I got from a lot of teachers—I think you gave me this advice and Julian [college counselor] gave me this advice—was to just do it, not stress out too much, and realize that the college process wasn’t for anyone else, that it was for me and for my own future. When you go through the education system, oftentimes you get caught in this cycle of A

You started Wildwood in kindergarten and left in sixth grade. Why did you come back? I came back because I didn’t like the community at my other school. They don’t have the Habits [of Mind and Heart]. It’s not very supportive. You’re competing against each other, and it’s not very friendly. Since kindergarten, have you discovered any new passion or interest that you didn’t know that you had? That might have surprised you? I guess music. I play the saxophone now. I started that at school a few years ago. I played in a Wildwood band. Do you think you’ve changed as a learner at all? You were always interested in reading and writing—although you were good in math, too. I remember when I was in middle school I was more into math and science, and that changed. I’m more into humanities now. But my commitment to the classes and learning has always been the same.

Why did you choose Wesleyan?

S

I knew I wanted to go to a small liberal arts school similar to Wildwood, that same kind of environment. I remember in 10th grade, a senior was driving me around and they had a sticker that said Wesleyan. I said, “Oh, I want to go there.” I don’t know why I said that. I meant it, but I don’t know why I wanted to go there. Before I knew anything about anywhere, if people asked me where I wanted to go, I’d say, “Oh, Wesleyan.” I chose it and then went and visited it, and it was everything I wanted. It has an open curriculum, discussion spaces, small classes. My top three were Brown, Barnard, and Wesleyan. Being in New York would have been nice. I have friends in New York, but I think Wesleyan’s a better fit. I think New York might have been too much for me.

L

Did you have second choices?

LILY

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 8/9

Lily Braunstein, attending Wesleyan University Sherry Varon, Pod (K-1st grade) teacher

Which Habit do you think you used the most at Wildwood?

Probably either Collaboration—just because of all the group work that we do and because every essay I write I’ll have my friends look over—or Perspective because it’s important to consider things from different perspectives. And I try to do that as much as I can. I don’t think all schools have the Habits. It’s a uniquely Wildwood thing. I remember learning Collaboration and Perspective in your class. And I remember the dolls you would teach us with—the wood dolls.

I think that’s what equips you guys so well.

I still have them.

I know, because last year when I was in your class, you had the same lesson. It was such a flashback. Like, I could remember you doing the exact same lesson with me. I had this weird déjà vu.

VANESSA MILES Was there a time at Wildwood when you learned to dig deep and develop your own sense of grit?

Miles Guggenheim, attending Brown University Vanessa Mancinelli, humanities teacher

V

When I was in 9th grade, I heard chemistry was going to be challenging. I’ve never been very good at math, and chemistry was always looming over me. But I think developing grit in those classes has helped me. Being able to bite the bullet is just a skill that you have to learn. And once you learn it—and you learn it in the most unpleasant ways—you can apply it to parts of your life that you really are passionate about. Do you think teachers and adults misinterpret grit? Sometimes I hear people talk about grit as, “I suffered so you have to, as well.” I know kids who’ve never been pushed in their life and they’ve always backed away from this, and it’s just a very unhealthy thing. That’s why I see more value in finding what the kid’s passionate about and then making him or her work even harder at that. I think that’s more valuable. If you’re taking a class that you don’t want to take just to develop grit, then you get a weird kind of dynamic where you feel you’re being punished rather than pushed. You don’t develop grit through torture, breaking at the wheel. M

What Habit do you use most at Wildwood, and what do you think will be most useful in college?

Connection is my favorite Habit. I like it because anything we create, we don’t create it from air; we create it from connection. Connection is really the beginning of any academic piece of work—it’s being able to connect ideas, being able to answer questions. Connection is really the root of creativity and building something important. You don’t make anything by yourself. You make something by connecting other things together.

Describe a time when you were surprised to discover a new passion or interest at Wildwood.

I wanted to try theater at one point. I like acting, but I never indulged myself with it because I never thought acting was creative. I always thought acting was almost like reading sheet music. Now, after going through that experience, playing a scene from Hamlet for Hamlet Night , I can disagree with that. I think in acting, in a way, you’re also writing. Without you, Hamlet the play doesn’t happen. It’s not worth anything. As an actor, you have to analyze the work—especially acting in a Shakespearean way. You can’t just recite it. You have to ask, “What am I saying here? Where is the emotion behind that?”

What would surprise me as your teacher? What don’t I know about you?

I have to get to some pretty obscure stuff because Wildwood’s very good at having this teacher-student relationship. So … I love bird watching.

Do you? Are you serious?

Yeah, I have manuals. I have binoculars.

That is amazing. I’m so glad that’s the thing you told me. WW

THIS IS WHERE

Kaiya Kirk Bennington College

Anthea Rosenbaum Barnard College

Grace Knobler University of Pennsylvania

Sydney Scrivano Otis College of Art and Design

Aron Kobayashi-Ritch New York University

Tate Shapeero Emerson College

Nathaniel Koenig Berklee College of Music

Jesse Silva University of Chicago

Melissa Lee University of Colorado Boulder

Ryan Starling Chapman University

Andrew Atkeson Arizona State University

Morris Colner University of San Francisco

Zachary Seaton Lewis Sarah Lawrence College

Camille Stedman Gap Year

James Atkinson Lewis & Clark College

Francesco DeSantis The George Washington University Zachary Fabrick University of California, Santa Cruz

Quinn Masterson University of St Andrews

Amandla Stenberg New York University

Niazayre Bates Ithaca College

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 10/11

Emelia Miller Skidmore College

Lucia Valentino Vassar College

Brandon Björnson California Institute of the Arts

Gabriel Feldinger New York University

Sidney Mirvis The George Washington University

Harrison Valner University of Southern California

Emma Braunstein Tulane University

Alexander Frankfurt Colorado College

Griffin Nex Orange Coast College

Bailey Wait Bennington College

Lily Braunstein Wesleyan University

Elliot Friedman Santa Monica College

David Olin University of California, Berkeley

Benicio Wallraff University of Wisconsin, Madison

Julia Broudy University of Wisconsin, Madison

Ella Grossman Colorado College

Alex Palmer Indiana University Bloomington

Rollin Walther Bennington College

John Brown Rice University

Miles Guggenheim Brown University

Caleb Zakarin Wesleyan University

Cleo Camp Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts

Dylan Hofmann Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts

Georgia Panitch Oberlin College

To view our complete college list, go to wildwood.org/collegelist.

Huck Phoenix University of California, Berkeley

Maxwell Caplow University of Michigan

Declan Jacobs University of Chicago

Frederick Randall Cornish College of the Arts

Olivia Carbone Smith College

Sebastian Jones University of California, Los Angeles

Alana Champion Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts

Romy Reiner Bennington College

Nanak Nihal Khalsa Vassar College

November Rivera Gap Year

m i d d l e s c h o o l f e a t u r e

by Erin Rottman, WILDWOOD PARENT

A BRAVE AND REFLECTIVE JOURNEY

Along with Nicholas’s graphic novel, students boldly embarked on projects such as building a bike from scratch, learning to play the banjo, making a model of the Battle of Gettysburg, and producing a play in the school’s first middle school student–directed production. For Division Two humanities teacher Megen O’Keefe, who created and runs Into the Wild, it was particularly exciting to watch students find their passions and navigate the projects on their own. “As a history teacher, I can help them with that subject area because it’s a discipline I know very well,” she says. “But if a student wants to learn how to play the guitar, all I can do is encourage them because I don’t happen to play the guitar.” One of the first challenges for students is settling on a project. Choosing may be easy for someone who has always loved dance or making music videos, but what about the student who hasn’t yet found a single passion? Megen guided one student as she waded through a number of interests. “She could not settle on a project,” Megen says. “Part of what was holding her back was that she’s interested in a lot of things.” Finally choosing something, trying it, and having it not work is part of the process; failure is OK. “They learn through failure,” Megen says. One student discovers they don’t want to be a writer. Another doesn’t want to work in a group. It’s typical middle schooler trial and error. Finding a mentor to offer guidance — either within or outside the school — can be difficult for the 8th graders and is part of the learning process. Zac M., who started a skate-inspired streetwear line for his project, had been set up with a professional photographer and lifelong skateboarder. It seemed like it would be the perfect fit, but for whatever reason, the two didn’t connect. Zac independently asked for help from someone he met at a skateboard park who started his own company making shoelace belts. “I can actively seek out a mentor on their

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 12/13

Into the Wild is a yearlong independent student- driven exploration of a topic of personal interest. With the guidance of a mentor, students embark on a brave and reflective journey that has them building autonomy, mastering new skills, applying the Habits of Mind and Heart, and strengthening their sense of purpose around learning through a single long-term project of their choice. It culminates in an evening celebration with family, friends, and the entire Wildwood community where students present their work. Sometimes the project continues long after Into the Wild ends.

behalf,” Megen says, “but it’s really better for them to find someone they can work with and connect with.” Nicholas, who loves storytelling, knew he wanted to write a graphic novel. He found enough encouragement through Into the Wild to return to what he had abandoned over the summer and write a 352-page script. His mentor, Division Two humanities teacher and self-published author Alex Cussen, suggested that Nicholas write down the entire arc of the story in three pages. “I had worked in film before,” Alex says. “I know that all scripts need to be compelling enough for someone else to read in three pages.” Nicholas did it in 16. They went back and forth about the length, but it ended up becoming invaluable as a story outline that kept Nicholas focused. As the projects develop, students blog about their progress. This fits well with the Digital Civilization class because in the process of blogging, the students learn research skills, copyright issues, and interviewing techniques, including requesting interviews and writing thank-you letters. The blogs then provide the teachers with opportunities to give feedback on the projects. Peers reading the blogs make suggestions, too. Into the Wild will continue to evolve, Megen says. The mentoring aspect will become more structured to help students take the initiative in seeking out someone from whom they can learn. Mentors will also benefit from greater understanding of their role, especially for those who don’t work at Wildwood and are unfamiliar with the program. Into the Wild is, along with the student projects, a work in progress.

INTO THE WILD WAS THE CATALYST FOR A NEW 8TH GRADE DIGITAL CIVILIZATION COURSE THAT PROVIDES A WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS TO DELVE INTO THEIR PROJECTS. THIS COURSE TAKES A UNIQUELY PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO THINKING ABOUT AND TEACHING TECHNOLOGY. STUDENTS EXPLORE DEVICES CYBERWELLNESS, CODING, AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING; ONLINE LEARNING; AND GAMING – WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF TEACHING MINDFULNESS AROUND TECHNOLOGY. AND HARDWARE; SOCIAL MEDIA AND NETWORKS;

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 14/15

Nicholas’s graphic novel hasn’t been published, at least not yet, but he is just as proud as Isobel and all the other 8th graders. “I’m going to remember this whole experience and what has inspired me to do this,” he says. “This is something that I did!” WW

The students’ courage to explore a passion or try something new can pay off in unexpected ways. Isobel M., who focused on videography, made an unsolicited promotional video for a creative media company. She compiled a reel of her video work and was hired by American Girl to edit two commercials about girls’ empowerment. “That was the first time I realized, ‘Oh, I could actually do this when I’m older.’ That was a big moment for me,” says Isobel, adding that her motivation is knowing how accomplished she will feel at the end of each project. “I’m really excited to keep doing this even after Into the Wild.”

TO LEARN MORE, WATCH “8TH GRADE INTO THE WILD PROJECT” ON OUR VIMEO CHANNEL AT VIMEO.COM/WILDWOODSCHOOL.

“INTO THE WILD HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS WHERE STUDENTS ARE BEING APPROACHED TO DO THEIR WORK BEYOND WILDWOOD.”

Isobel’s excitement goes far beyond what Megen ever intended for the program. “Into the Wild has ripple effects where students are being approached to do their work beyond Wildwood,” she says, proudly. “It’s exciting for the students to see that once they put themselves out there, the world is going to offer opportunities. For an 8th grader, these are really wonderful lessons to learn.”

e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l f e a t u r e

by Steve Barrett, DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

ASM meets ZPD: What’s that?

THERE’S A WILDWOOD TRADITION THAT’S A FAMILIAR RITE OF PASSAGE ON OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUS—AND FAIRLY UNIQUE ALMOST EVERYWHERE ELSE. EVERY FRIDAY, IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

By the time the crowd roars its approval, a smile spreads over her face—relief and accomplishment. For her, the hardest part is over. The ASM went well! ZPD is real. But wait, we’ll get to that. … Each week, a pair of Wildwood 5th graders leads the weekly All School Meeting (ASM). As a team, they open the session, solicit schoolwide announcements, and

AN 1 1 -YEAR - OLD STANDS on a lighted stage, the sole focus of a crowd of more than 400 people. She’s there to make a presentation—about herself—which needs to be clear, coherent, and engaging enough to hold everyone’s attention. She’s nervous. And she delivers.

WILDWOOD 5TH GRADERS TAP BRAVERY, PRACTICE, AND LOTS OF MODELING TO MASTER THEIR FEARS, LEAD THEIR COMMUNITY, AND PREPARE FOR SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN THEIR FUTURES.

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 16/17

took a day to build, so I realized that I had to start building early if they were going to be ready for my presentation,” she says. Eliana also remembers the patience and flexibility that she had to tap. “Many of the kits’ instructions were confusing, and my cats kept walking all over the robot parts that I was trying to organize,” she says. “Then when the date got closer and I started practicing, I started getting really nervous.” Many of Eliana’s classmates echo her sentiments: Leading ASM is a mix of excitement and fear. “I’ve been onstage in plays before, but this was a huge leap,” says 5th grader Will W. “I’m not up there with 20 others; it’s just me and one other

They tap bravery, practice, and lots of modeling to master their fears, lead their community, and prepare for similar situations in their futures. LEANING IN The whole process of leading an All School Meeting at the elementary campus was instructive for Eliana B., who presented on robotics. “I had big plans for my ASM presentation, and I had to learn to manage my time to get ready,” Eliana says. She needed to build half a dozen robots, which she bought with her birthday money. “Each of the kits

introduce guest performers. Then each student takes on the individual component: Meet the Leaders. For several minutes, the crowd gives its undivided attention to each of the students as a way of honoring the leadership and longevity of our elementary campus’s oldest students. Public speaking can be anxiety provoking for anyone, especially novices. With the ASM leadership exercise, Wildwood 5th graders often find they are up to the challenge.

Students like Jenny S., who began her Wildwood career in the Pods, have seen this leadership modeled since kindergarten. “When I was in the Pods,” Jenny says, “I couldn’t imagine myself being up onstage as a leader.” She also benefited from watching her older sister, Molly, lead ASM when Jenny was in 2nd grade. “So as I got older,” she says, “I started thinking that this is something that I could do.” With the scaffolding in place, when the stage lights go on, Wildwood students rise to the occasion. And what’s on the other side? Relief, satisfaction, and new learnings. “Was I nervous? Of course!” Will says. “But as soon as I finished my presentation, all the ice was melted and the butterflies were gone.” “When I finished, I was so excited that I wanted to do it again,” Graham remembers. “And I wanted to show everyone that they don’t need to be scared. In fact—it’s really fun!” Jenny is looking ahead to 8th grade when she knows that she’ll need to transfer what she’s learned from her ASM experience to a much higher-stakes challenge: her Gateway presentation (an oral presentation of work to teachers, administrators, families, and peers). “My sister is preparing hers right now, and I can totally see how this experience will get me ready for needing to present about myself for 45 minutes,” she says. Another benefit of leading an All School Meeting is the connections that the experience allows others to make with you, as Will aptly describes: “Leading ASM is all about coming out of your shell in front of the school. It’s like opening a secret compartment in yourself that no one else knows about and shining a light on it.” WW

and provide them with modeling and appropriate support, they will rise to the occasion and be able to learn and do things that may have seemed out of reach last year, last month, or even last week. There’s solid theory behind that wisdom. In educational psychology terms, leading an All School Meeting is an example of learning within one’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). It’s an idea that began with the writings of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky back in the 1930s. In the space between what a child can do on his or her own—without any assistance—and something that he or she is incapable of—even with help—is the ZPD. It’s the sweet spot of learning and doing into which capable educators coax students. Ultimately, individual learners need to bravely venture into the zone. YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU Wildwood provides its 5th graders the appropriate scaffolding to be able to lead ASM. Students practice in multiple meetings with Seth Gordon, the performing arts teacher in charge of ASM, including a full run-through the morning of the meeting. And all Wildwood 5th graders see their peers go through the process— and come out happier and more confident on the other side.

person. A very new experience … and very unnerving.” Graham W. notes something that surprised him looking down from the stage. “The Commons [elementary campus gathering space] looks a lot bigger when you’re up there by yourself. I wasn’t expecting that,” he says. Liad B.’s ponderings indicate another common feeling among his fellow 5th graders. “When it comes right down to it,” Liad suggests, “you are the subject matter; you can be who you want to be when you lead ASM. Even though I have stage fright, I was being myself, so I felt confident.” Confidence doesn’t imply perfection, and Liad was OK with that, too. During his presentation, Liad demonstrated his acumen with juggling sticks, called flower sticks. “I’ve only been practicing for about a year, so I didn’t get upset when I dropped my sticks a few times in front of everyone,” he says. IN THE (LEARNING) ZONE Conventional school wisdom says that when you set the bar high for kids

w i l d w o o d a t h l e t i c s

by Courtney O’Connor, COMMUNICATIONS & DESIGN MANAGER

Wildwood Athletics: A Year in Review Wildwood’s 2015-16 athletics program welcomed new sports offerings to the elementary campus and celebrated some historic moments (and new school records!) for middle and upper school athletes. Take a look at highlights from the fall, winter, and spring seasons from our middle and upper athletes, as well as our 5th grade sports.

Wildwood saw more than 145 athletes participate for the fall season, competing in the Pacific Basin League (middle school) and Coastal League (upper school). CROSS-COUNTRY Our upper school athletes made Wildwood history, with both the boys and girls teams finishing second in league competition, qualifying them for CIF. After putting on a great show at the regional semifinals in Riverside, junior Sophia S. advanced to regional finals, placing her among some of the best runners in the state! SWIM TEAM Our middle school water Wolves made fall 2015 a season to remember with an army of 25 swimmers, including league final medalists Oliver S., Charlie K., and Alisa B. VOLLEYBALL In middle school, there were a notable number of girl athletes—33—which led to the creation of three teams. All three teams fought their way to playoffs, with the volleyball B team advancing to semifinals. Upper school fielded varsity and junior varsity teams and saw an increasing number of athletes improve their skills through club participation. FLAG FOOTBALL The middle school flag football team hit their stride toward the end of the season, with exciting wins over Lighthouse. Eighth grader Lexi K. led the team in a double-overtime victory, catching the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns. The flag football C team finished the season 4-3-1, a great accomplishment as a 6th grade–only team.

Winter athletics saw great turnouts for both sports, wrapping up the season with a total of 158 participating athletes. SOCCER In the upper school, our boys soccer team had notable wins over Providence and Milken and a hard-fought tie against Pacifica Christian before heading into league play. Our girls soccer team had five impressive wins in league, earning them a well-deserved spot in the playoffs. BASKETBALL Our middle school girls basketball team, coming off a championship season a year ago, wrapped up another impressive run with only one regular-season loss and an incredible second-place finish in the league finals. Boys middle school basketball had a huge turnout this year, leading Wildwood to field three teams. Our upper school girls team had a remarkable season, advancing to quarterfinals of CIF! This was a historic moment for Wildwood, and with a younger upper school team, the future of girls basketball is looking bright. Wildwood saw an impressive 153 participants in grades 5-12 for the spring season, strong victories from all teams, and new school records in track and field. BASEBALL Upper school boys baseball ended the year with strong league wins over Vistamar School and Lennox Academy. The team was led by senior Griffin N., who earned league Pitcher of the Year. As a formidable lefty pitcher, Griffin will be continuing his baseball career at Orange Coast College.

Our Wildwood /Summer 2015 18/19 FALL SPORTS

WINTER SPORTS SPRING SPORTS

SWIM TEAM The upper school swim team had a great finish to the season, coming in second in the league and bringing home numerous medals at the finals. TENNIS Middle school tennis, made up of mostly 6th and 7th graders, had great team wins over Crossroads, Windward, Archer, and New Roads. In the individual finals, 6th grader Ginger F. made it to the league semifinals. In upper school, 9th grader Gabriel M. qualified for the CIF sectionals. VOLLEYBALL The middle school boys volleyball team celebrated playoff victories over rivals Turning Point and Willows from both the A and B teams. Our upper school beach volleyball team tripled the number of participants to 18 athletes, marking its gain in momentum and popularity. TRACK AND FIELD Middle school saw a historic year in track and field, breaking five school records and bringing home nine medals at the league finals. Notable results include 8th grader Toochi B. taking first in the 400- and 200-meter races, placing second in the long jump, and breaking the school record for all three events! Eighth grader Adele C. won the mile race with a time of 5:51:97, also setting an impressive new school record. Upper school students also had a great season, with athletes Sophia S., Kamal M., Miana S., and Niazayre B. advancing to the CIF semifinals in track and field. FLAG FOOTBALL Our 5th grade coed flag football team had another fun and successful season, demonstrating grit, discipline, and sportsmanship with every game. They finished the season with three amazing victories. VOLLEYBALL Wildwood celebrated its inaugural year for girls and boys volleyball. Volleyball is now a sport at Wildwood where an athlete can compete from 5th grade all the way through 12th grade, giving our students a great opportunity to improve their technique and be part of a cohesive team. SOCCER Fifth grade coed soccer saw an amazing turnout of 29 athletes, resulting in the creation of two teams. Wildwood alumni and varsity soccer players Jessi McDonald ‘11 and Alex Sheftel ‘10 joined the coaching ranks, keeping our Wolf pride in the family.

ELEMENTARY SPORTS

Backwards Glance

by Melinda Tsapatsaris ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Moments With Melissa Assistant Director of Elementary School Retires

A long-standing Wildwood tradition is for advisors to share their reflections of, thoughts on, and hopes for each of their advisees about to graduate. They write beautiful, personalized “Graduation Blurbs.” It is with a nod to that tradition that colleagues have done the

slip out the door!” Erin told me, with happy tears, that Melissa was the best problem-solver in the whole world! I will NEVER forget her compassion and what difference it made to my little girl!

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 20/21

thank Here are some “Retirement Blurbs” from her grateful colleagues: DEB CHRISTENSON: Melissa and I meet for Chinese food once a month. Over green beans and spicy fish, we celebrate one another. She listens. STEVE BARRETT: How does a lifelong high school teacher learn about elementary education? Easy—spend time with Melissa. When I needed to build my knowledge about what we do with our youngest learners in order to share it with Outreach Center visitors, I listened to how Melissa describes what we do. In my first few years, I always scheduled time with Melissa for any group of visiting educators. I soaked in her knowledge. And now— while I certainly can’t do what Melissa does, I can explain it with greater clarity and knowledge. GINA MERRILL: I think of a person who always has the child’s needs in the forefront of her mind. Her decisions are always based on what is best for the child, and in any given meeting or discussion, that is the question that Melissa asks to focus our work: “Is this best for the kids?” She told me once: “If we remember this, then everything else lines up. Our best work can be done. Our best practice is already in place.” same for Melissa Linehan, an advisor to so many of us. Melissa, who will retire after 28 years of service as a Wildwood educator and parent, is a learner to the core, a devoted mom, a voracious reader, researcher, writer, and collaborator. She is the asker of Why? What next? What can I do to help? She is a gardener, teacher, and friend. Melissa is there for you, for students, for teachers, for parents. She is reflective, funny, interested, and interesting. She is a teacher and student. Melissa will be missed.

She offers solutions. She shares herself 100 percent, never holding back. Melissa is the consummate friend: supportive, generous, loving unconditionally. Melissa is an administrator in the truest sense of that word: She ministers to teachers, families, and students. Melissa embodies servant leadership, putting the needs of others before her own, modeling that for other leaders.

TAHNEE MUÑOZ: This quote reminds me of Melissa: “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” A thanks goes to Melissa for all the simple moments that made all the difference. Her wisdom and grace make Wildwood feel like home to so many.

SANDI CROZIER: When my daughter Erin had Melissa as her 4th grade teacher, Melissa found out that it was upsetting for Erin when the phone rang to call her to go to the resource room. Without hesitation, Melissa reacted by putting a little piece of paper on Erin’s desk with the numbers that would show up on her digital watch and said, “When the numbers say this, you can just

Anniversaries!

5-YEAR Annie Barnes Katie Boye Michelle Meena Madeleine Polinsky 10-YEAR Sue Grieder Beto Juan Orlando Portillo 15-YEAR Rasheda Carroll Deb Christenson Itai Disraeli Chay Thaopaset Tyler Williams 20-YEAR Monique Marshall Darren Pasco Katie Rios

you Kindergarten and 1st grade students in the Seal Pod

25-YEAR Gerald Rios

30-YEAR Sandi Mineo-Rust

wrote Melissa letters, suggesting things for her to do when she retires:

1. BECOME A

5. CALL A FRIEND AND PLAY CARDS 6. NEWSPAPER REPORTER

9. NURSE, VET, DOCTOR

ROLLER-COASTER RIDER

10. PIANO TEACHER 11. WRITER

2. TRAVEL 3. MAKE A MOVIE 4. GARDEN

12. PRODUCER 13. WATCH THE SUNNY SET

7. WORK AT

DISNEYLAND

8. GYMNASTICS TEACHER

Book Shelf

by Michelle Simon HEAD LIBRARIAN MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL

As readers, we have opportunities to relate to real and fictionalized brave souls and put ourselves in their situations. Brave protagonists are not only the ones who lack fear in potentially unnerving situations but also are those who are not afraid to be different. As readers, we are able to try on voices and situations and play around with what brave traits are inside each of us. We are all brave whether we say yes to a fear or say no to something that’s not right for us. Engaging in the stories of others helps us to define what brave traits we inhabit and also to experience bravery we may never choose to know.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

THE SONG OF ACHILLES By Madeline Miller Reviewed by Ryder M. 9TH GRADE

Reviewed by Jude M. 8TH GRADE

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 22/23

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of bravery is constantly reappearing. For example, Atticus takes the case he knows he is doomed to lose. To take it took a

A classic tale from Homer’s The Iliad, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller focuses on the greatest warrior of all Greeks, Achilles Achaion, through the

tremendous amount of courage: He faces the challenges of having an all-white jury while defending a black man. Another display of bravery, though it may not seem like it at first, comes from Mayella. She committed an awful deed when she accused Tom Robinson of raping her. Later we learn that the wounds she claimed were made by Tom were actually the evidence of being beaten by her father. Though she did something terrible, the courage it takes to live with an abusive parent is unparalleled. And the final demonstration of bravery is one that is present throughout the book—the bravery and courage that comes with being a child.

eyes of the exiled Prince Patroclus. Together, they bravely defy the wrath of Achilles’s mother, and not just any mother, the goddess Thetis, a cruel sea nymph. Thetis is angered by Achilles’s relationship with a human. Together, they face the danger of battle and the threat of a prophecy that could tear them apart. Side by side, they forge their path in history and fame in the great battle of Troy. I love this book because it focuses on the human aspects of mythological heroes. Their struggles and failings contrasted their bravery to fight through it all.

A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN By Mary Wollstonecraft Reviewed by Josh Grapes ’09 ALUMNUS Mary Wollstonecraft is the grandmother of modern feminism. Her entire life was a struggle against ignorance and

I AM MALALA By Malala Yousafzai Reviewed by Olivia A. 3RD GRADE

I chose this book because Malala Yousafzai showed bravery like no one I have ever seen. She was being brave for girls who did not have education and who

inequality, and her Vindication laid the groundwork for decades of progress. Amid the flurry of the French Revolution, she argued that sexism was just another form of aristocracy. All she demanded was an equal education. We might even call her conservative by the standards of our time, but powerful men like Robert Walpole called her “a hyena in petticoats.” Her Vindication is more than an important historical work—it’s evidence that what seems radical today may become the norm tomorrow.

lived in a world where there are very few women’s rights. I recommend this book to everyone who has trouble finding his or her inner bravery. I believe that we should use bravery in any way we can. Put your heart and soul into your courage and always stand up to what is right to you. For example, if you have a friend and your friend likes cats and you like dogs, don’t go so far in standing up to that person to the point that you say you don’t want to be friends with that person because they stand up for something different from you. Everyone has different beliefs and choices.