21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN

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21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
2017-2018

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21 HumDev, Wellness & Mindfulness                  27 Mind, Body, Brain
We look at the history of MA’s HumDev and explore   MA’s Athletic Director Kacie Schilling launches
the connections with Wellness and Mindfulness       class as part of new Wellness program
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
THE ARTS AT MA

                              “When I’m in my arts class I
                              feel at home. The Blackbox
                              and the people who inhabit
                              it are the most kind and close
                              community at MA, and the
                              intentionality of the group to
                              create collaboratively is really

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                              special. I’m grateful to have a
                              place where I can come and
                              be myself at school.”

                              MARINA C. ‘19

    2      MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									     NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
“When I’m in my art class I
                                  feel empowered because
                                  it is the one class where my
                                  experience is wholly and
                                  genuinely what I make of it.”

                                  NORA R. ‘19

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                                                                  “I love MA theater! The
                                                                  theater program has shown
                                                                  me that theater is what I want
                                                                  to do with my life. When I
                                                                  walk into the theater building,
                                                                  I feel like I’m home and in my
                                                                  element, and that I can do
                                                                  anything.”

                                                                  ELEANOR B. ‘20

“The MA arts community
gives me an invaluable sense
of community and a unique
opportunity to express
myself, and to create and
share meaningful art.”

LILA P. ‘20

    3         MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                     NEXUSNEXUS
                                                                                                          NOW 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
VOICES OF MA

                                                                                         I often think
                                                                                      about the many
                                                                                     things I got from
                                                                                     Marin Academy,
                                                                                      including a love
                                                                                          of nature, a
                                                                                     passion for social
        HUMDEV, WELLNESS, AND MINDFULNESS                                              justice, and an

w       Human Development has been an in-
        tegral part of the student experience
                                                                                         appreciation
                                                                                         for beauty in                   '
                                                                                        literature and
        at MA since 1995.
                                                                                     the arts. Wishing
                                                                                       the best to all
           View from a TA                                                             of you. Keep on
           “I think about Human                                                        pursuing your
           Development all of the time.
           I have been around such                                                          dreams!
           a diverse group of people
           since I left MA, and so many
           of them didn’t talk about the
           topics we talked about in
                                             MINDFULNESS IN NATURE OUTING
           HumDev. No one has had as
           good a social education as        Co-led by Mark Stefanski and Julia
           we did, and it makes me so        Chanin ’11, along with Sophie S. ‘19,      PAM GREENBERG ‘86
           grateful that I got to take and   the Mindfulness in Nature Outing
                                                                                             Alumna
           teach that class.”                at Dillon Beach, which took place
                                             in the spring of 2018, was a relaxing
              —Julia Rosenberg ‘15           and rejuvenating time enjoyed by all
                                             participants.

    4    MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                  NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
WHAT’S INSIDE

        08                            24                                                         50
        CULTIVATING MIND,             VIEW FROM A TA                                             WILDERNESS QUEST
        BODY, AND BRAIN               A former Teaching Assistant                                A beloved MA tradition
        Travis reflects on Marin      in the HumDev program                                      gets a new name
        Academy’s approach to         shares her experience
        educating the whole child

        10                            25                                                         58
                                      PROFILES: JOANI LACEY
                                                                     28                          INSPIRED TO LEAD

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        GO FORTH                      & AARON GILL                                               MA’s Annual Report
        Congratulations to our                                       MINDFULNESS CLUB
                                      MA profiles our School
        2018 graduates!               Counselor and Athletic         A student-led time for
                                      Trainer                        students to step away and

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                                                                     reset

        14
        HISTORIC YEAR                 27                                                         EDITOR, DESIGN & LAYOUT

        2017-2018 Wildcat athletics
        year in review
                                      MIND, BODY, BRAIN
                                      MA’s Athletic Director Kacie
                                                                     30                          Hervé Ernest

                                                                                                 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
                                                                                                 Derek Anderson
                                                                     CHARTING THE COURSE
                                                                                                 Julie Barnes
                                      Schilling launches class                                   Mary Collie
                                                                     A peek into the lives
                                      as part of new Wellness                                    Kier Holmes ‘89
                                                                     of MA alumni                Tory Mathieson ’10

        21
                                      program                                                    Nicole Stanton

                                                                     ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS           PHOTOGRAPHY
                                                                                                 Marin Academy Communications
        HUMDEV, WELLNESS,                                            31 Anwen Baumeister ’12    Marin Academy Parents
        AND MINDFULNESS                                                                          Dominic Colacchio
                                                                     36 Stephen Morse ’88        Tony Nguyen
                                                                                                 Mark Stefanski
        A look at the Human                                          43 Carina Uraiqat ’97
                                                                                                 Nexus Magazine and Nexus Now
        Development program at                                                                   are produced by the Office of
        MA                                                                                       Institutional Advancement at:
                                                                                                 Marin Academy
                                                                                                 1600 Mission Avenue
                                                                                                 San Rafael CA 94901

    5     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                 NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
COMING UP AT MA

                                                                           A

                                                                                 B

                                                                                                                                                    C

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                                                                                                   24
        A     Bryant Terry, award-winning chef, author, educator, and activist, joins us for the                        OCTOBER | We are
              15th Annual Conference on Democracy.                                                                      excited to announce
                                                                                                                        that the 15th Annual

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        B	
          Lauren Markham, writer, reporter, and the author of The Far Away Brothers, will
                                                                                                                        Conference on
          also be a featured guest at the 15th Annual Conference on Democracy.
                                                                                                   Democracy will take place at Marin
        C     Peer Resources presents Communications Evening.                                      Academy this October 24th and 25th.
        D	
          Marin Academy presents the fall theater production: Twelfth Night by William             This year’s event features special guests
          Shakespeare.                                                                             Bryant Terry, James Beard Award
                                                                                                   winning chef, author, educator, activist
        E     Grandparents and Special Friends Day at Marin Academy.
                                                                                                   and chef-in-residence at San Francisco’s
        F	
          Roots/World/Chamber Music Concert.                                                       Museum of the African Diaspora;
        G     Fall Dance Assembly.                                                                 Lauren Markham, writer, reporter, and
                                                                                                   the author of The Far Away Brothers,
                                                                                                   a chronicle of unaccompanied minor
                                                                                                   migrants from El Salvador to the United
                                                                                                   States, as well as four youth impact
                                                                                                   fellows from United Roots Oakland, and
                                                                                                   many more. In addition to our amazing
                                                                                                   guests, the conference will feature
                                                                                                   a breadth of creative sessions by
                                                                                                   students and other members of the MA
                                                                                                   community. Mark your calendars!

    6       MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                          NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
D

                                                                                                             E                                      G

                                                                                                                                                    F

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        01                                                                                          13
                            NOVEMBER | Marin Academy’s Theater Program presents their                                    DECEMBER | If
                            Fall Theater production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.                              you can, make sure
                            Written at the dawn of the 17th century, Twelfth Night, or what                              not to miss our

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w                           you will, is Shakespeare at the height of his comedic and romantic
        brilliance. With a plot riddled with disguises, mistaken identities, gender-bending
                                                                                                                         performing artists
                                                                                                    come alive on the stage this winter.
        intrigue, and saturated in the intoxicating and irresistible force of love, Twelfth Night   During MA’s Dance Assembly, students
        is Shakespeare’s brilliantly layered, kaleidoscopic opus on the madness of the human        will dazzle audiences by performances
        heart. Set in a mod, mid-sixties, Warhol-esque world, throbbing with pop music and          large and small. Dance classes will show
        exploding with the energy of a growing counter-culture, MA’s production of Twelfth          off their original choreography and
        Night features an all-star cast and live music. Thursday through Saturday, November         creativity. Thursday, December 13 at
        1st, 2nd, and 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at the Marin Academy Performing Arts Center.                 11:10 a.m.

        20                                               06
                           NOVEMBER                                          DECEMBER | Come
                           | The tradition                                   and experience
                           continues with a                                  Marin Academy
                           day to celebrate                                  students displaying
        grandparents and special friends.                their passion for being creative at the
        Join us for Grandparents and Special             Roots/World/Chamber Music Concert
        Friends Day on the Marin Academy                 on December 6 and 7 at 6:30 p.m.
        campus on Tuesday, November 20
        beginning at 7:15 a.m.

    7     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                            NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
PUSHING BOUNDARIES

            CULTIVATING MIND,
              BODY, & BRAIN
                                                      BY TRAVIS BROWNLEY, HEAD OF SCHOOL

                                                       emotional wellness, have opportunities     sharing what they’ve learned during
                                                       to step outside and reset, and develop     their time at MA and beyond, not
                                                       the exercise and self-care strategies      only for their benefit, but to enhance
                                                       necessary to live longer and healthier     the lives and experiences of those

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                                                       lives. We all know, and a growing body     around them: like Anwen Baumeister
                                                       of research shows, that heightened         ’12, who just opened a wellness café
                                                       anxiety and stress lessen the ability to   in Oakland and, among other things,
                                                       learn, and developing active, mindful      offers “pay-what-you-can” options in
                                                       practices can be transformative in how     order to keep healthy food accessible

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                                                       We are renewing this commitment as
                                                                                                  to the community; Stephen Morse
                                                                                                  ’88, who is the COO of Mindful Life,

        A
                                                       we implement a more robust wellness        Mindful Work, which offers leadership
                     t Marin Academy, we find          curriculum this fall.                      coaching and mindfulness tools to
                     it essential to provide                                                      organizations, teams, and individuals
                     students with all of the tools    In the following pages, you’ll learn       worldwide; and Carina Uraiqat ’97, an
                     they’ll need to be successful     about the impact of our Human              attorney who now works to help other
        as they chart their course in the world.       Development program and why it’s           legal professionals integrate principles
        As a co-educational high school                the cornerstone of our new wellness        of mindfulness into their own work.
        committed to scholarship and personal          program; meet a couple of staff
        development, we believe that the high          members who are integral in providing      I am excited this fall as we roll out our
        school years are a critically important        students with key emotional and            new wellness program and engender
        time when students are discovering             physical support; learn about our          new and continued commitment by
        who they are, what they value, what            new Mind, Body, Brain class where          our students to make the new Wellness
        they enjoy, and where they are headed.         students understand how to develop         Center a part of their natural, daily
        We want our students to develop the            practices to overcome anxiety, stress      routines. I hope you enjoy reading all of
        skills and knowledge that will serve           and worry leading to happier lives; and,   the stories in this edition of NEXUS as
        them well now and in the future.               see how we take our own practices          much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them
                                                       of mindfulness into the community to       to you.
        Marin Academy has long been                    share the benefits we’ve learned with
        committed to providing the                     others through our Mindfulness Club.       Warm Regards,
        educational environment, the
        resources, and the space for students          You’ll also read about MA alumni
        to build their capacity for social and         who are going out into the world and

    8     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                           NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
NEWS BRIEFS

                                   BRIZENDINE

        F
                or the eleventh year in a
                row, the endowment for the
                Brizendine Scholars Program
                brought a fascinating array of
        experts to the MA campus to enhance
        student learning. This year’s program,
        which was shared by the Human

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        Development and Performing Arts
        departments, brought 17 professionals
        to campus.

        Sanjai Moses and Cheyenne Robertson
        brought Brianna Booth, Stanford

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        Sexuality, Design & Development, to
        MA twice this spring—once as the
        keynote speaker for the first-ever
        Conference of Bay Area Independent
        School Health Educators, and once
        to speak to the senior class as part
        of their transition to college. At       Annie Elias, Chris Detrick, Nicole
        both appearances, Brianna was            Klaymoon, Randee Paufve, David
        accompanied by a panel of Stanford       Sinaiko, and Karsten Windt put
        students who candidly shared their       together a festival of visiting artists for
                                                                                               on May 17, allowing the ensemble
        stories about sexuality, gender, and     their performing arts classes in March,
                                                                                               to present music that wouldn’t have
        the necessity of establishing healthy    April and May. The line-up included a
                                                                                               been possible otherwise. Best of all,
        interpersonal boundaries on today’s      Yale University comedy improv troop
                                                                                               music students saw Matthew Szemela
        college campuses. The Health             and master dance classes in capoeira,
                                                                                               perform on his six-string electric violin
        Educators’ Summit also featured          hip hop, modernism, Afro-Cuban, and
                                                                                               and challenge the perceived divide
        a lunchtime breakout session with        yoga. Many music students had the
                                                                                               between classical music and jazz, blues,
        marijuana educator Ralph Cantor, Ever    chance to learn about and play the
                                                                                               and pop music.
        Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch, and       gamelan, while the Chamber Gladiators
        Shafia Zaloom, who once was on the       program benefitted from the chance to         For 2018-19, the Brizendine Scholars
        MA faculty and now works as a human      learn from six coaches who specialized        Program will rotate to the Science and
        development teacher at the Urban         in different instruments. Some of these       Visual Arts departments.
        School.                                  musicians also played in the concert

    9     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                        NEXUS 2018
21 HUMDEV, WELLNESS & MINDFULNESS 27 MIND, BODY, BRAIN
NEWS BRIEFS

                             GO FORTH!

          A left hook of feedback from Mary Collie
          during English class may change up your
         plan. But, what makes MA so special is the
          faculty’s willingness to pick you back up
                  and help adjust your plan.

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w                             MILES KELLY ‘18

    10   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									   NEXUS 2018
HEADMASTER’S CUP
On behalf of the faculty, Travis Brownley awarded Anthony Madrigal the
Headmaster’s Cup, an award established by Board of Trustees President
James Thacher to honor the values of MA inspired by the school’s
first headmaster, Bill McCluskey. Anthony Madrigal showed the MA
community that while there are challenges in the world, optimism has to
rule the day. While there can be much to challenge one’s optimism in the
world, Anthony led unapologetically with his heart. Reliable, responsible,
and engaged, there was no task too small and no deed too scary for him
to give it his best.

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                                                                             ZUMBRUN AWARD
                                                                             In memory of Danielle Plumb Zumbrun ‘79 and in recognition of
                                                                             her keen appreciation of nature and her sense of responsibility
                                                                             as a caretaker of the earth, the Zumbrun Award recognizes
                                                                             outstanding student leadership in the Outings Program. A staple
                                                                             of the outings department for the entirety of his four years at MA,
                                                                             Harry Barker-Fost shared his strong spirit and love for the outdoors
                                                                             with the entire school. He was a committed and consistent
                                                                             presence in all things outings, and did much to further the goals
                                                                             of inclusivity and accessibility.

    11     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                           NEXUS 2018
NEWS BRIEFS

                                                           And They’re Off...
         American University | Amherst College | Bard College | Barnard College (2) | Bates College | Boston College (3) | Boston University (3) |
         Bowdoin College (2) | Brown University | Bucknell University | California Institute for the Arts | Carleton College | Case Western Reserve
         University | Chapman University | Claremont McKenna College | Colby College | College of Marin | Colorado College | Colorado State
         University | Cornell University | Dartmouth College | Denison University (2) | Duke University (3) | Emory University (2) | Grinnell College
         | Hamilton College | Indiana University, Bloomington | Kenyon College | Lehigh University | London College of Fashion | Macalester
         College (2) | Northeastern University (3) | Pitzer College (2) | Reed College | Rice University | San Francisco State University | Scripps
         College (3) | Southern Methodist University | Stanford University (2) | Syracuse University (2) | The George Washington University (3) | The
         University of Texas, Austin | Tufts University (4) | US Naval Academy | University of California, Berkeley (5) | University of California,
         Irvine | University of California, Los Angeles (2) | University of California, San Diego | University of California, Santa Barbara | University
         of Colorado, Boulder (3) | University of Maryland, College Park | University of Michigan | University of Oregon (3) | University of
         Pennsylvania (2) | University of Puget Sound | University of Richmond | University of Southern California (4) | University of Vermont (2) |
         University of Virginia | University of Washington (2) | University of Wisconsin, Madison (3) | Villanova University | Wake Forest University |
         Wellesley College | Wesleyan University | Williams College | Worchester Polytechnic Institute

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    12     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                                       NEXUS 2018
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    13   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									   NEXUS 2018
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                                                 2017-2018 MA Athletics

                                                   Wildcat Year in Review

         C
                   ongratulations to all of our MA student-athletes and      on the life lessons learned through sport, we love to highlight
                   coaches on a terrific 2017-18 year in athletics! We are   the standout achievements attained by our various programs.
                   excited to celebrate the accomplishments in the next      Thanks to our entire MA community for your continued support
                   few pages as we eagerly prepare for the upcoming          of MA Athletics. It means so much to our student-athletes and
         2018-19 school year. While MA Athletics will always strive to       coaches, and we would not be as successful as we are without
         be an extension of the classroom and a program that focuses         the tremendous support we receive!

    14     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                           NEXUS 2018
w   NCS Team Academic Awards                                                '
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     Girls Cross Country – 3rd place (tie)
     Girls Water Polo – 3rd place

    SPRING 2018
     Boys Lacrosse – 2nd place
     Girls Lacrosse – 1st place

    15     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									   NEXUS 2018
NEWS BRIEFS

          Team Athletics Awards
          BCL-WEST/BAY AREA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS              CIF STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
             Boys Cross Country: 4th place                        Boys Cross Country – Rob Hudson – 46th place
             Girls Cross Country: 3rd place                       Girls Cross Country – Maddie Rodriguez – 53rd place
             Girls Tennis: 3rd place                              Girls Volleyball - #5 seed in Division 3 CIF NorCal
             Girls Volleyball: 3rd place                           Championships – 1st Round
             Boys Water Polo (NBL): NBL Champions (Undefeated)    Boys Water Polo - #5 seed in Division 2 CIF NorCal
             Girls Water Polo (NBL): 2nd place                     Championship – 1st Round
             Boys Basketball: 5th place                           Boys Soccer – # 5 seed in Inaugural Division 1 NorCal CIF
             Girls Basketball: 4th place                           Championship Tournament – 1st Round
             Girls Soccer: BCL-West Champions
             Baseball: 5th place
             Boys Golf: 3rd place
             Boys Lacrosse: BAC League Champions (Undefeated)
             Girls Lacrosse: BAC League Champions (Undefeated)
             Boys Tennis: 2nd place
             Boys Track: 8th place
             Girls Track: 3rd place
             Boys Swimming: BCL-W Champions (Undefeated)
             Girls Swimming: 2nd place

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          NORTH COAST SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS
           Boys Cross Country: NCS Division 5 - 7th place
           Girls Cross Country: NCS Division 5 - 6th place
           Girls Team Tennis: NCS Division 2 Quarterfinals

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          
            Girls Volleyball: NCS Division 5 Runner Up
            Boys Water Polo: NCS Division 2 Champions
           Girls Water Polo: NCS Division 2 1st Round
           Boys Varsity Soccer: NCS Division 4 Champions
           Girls Varsity Soccer: NCS Division 4 Quarterfinals
           Girls Basketball: NCS Division 5 Quarterfinals
           Boys Golf: NCS Division 2 – Individual Qualifier
           Boys Lacrosse: NCS Division 2 Champions
           Girls Lacrosse: NCS Division 2 Quarterfinals
           Boys Swimming: NCS Division 1 24th place
           Girls Swimming: NCS Division 1 28th place
           Boys Tennis: Division 2 Team 1st Round;
            Division 2 Singles Quarterfinals;
            Division 2 Doubles 1st Round
           Girls Track & Field: Class A 6th place

    16   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                           NEXUS 2018
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    17   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									   NEXUS 2018
NEWS BRIEFS

                          SENIOR RISING
         As tradition would have it, our 2019 senior class takes over
         The Circle on Opening Day, marking the official beginning
                             to their senior year.

         The Class of 2019

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            excited for this                                                    '
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         it with the juniors,
          sophomores, and
           freshman. We’re
          just stoked to be
                 here!

                    CLARA D. ‘19
                Senior Class President

    18    MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.								         NEXUS 2018
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    19   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									   NEXUS 2018
HUM
DEV                                                 A look at the history and impact of Human Development,
                                                    Wellness, and Mindfulness programs at MA, told in five parts:

WELL
                                                                             HumDev, Wellness and Mindfulness

                                                                             View from a TA

                                                                             Profiles: Joani Lacey and Aaron Gill

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NESS&
                                                                             Mind, Body, Brain

                                                                             Mindfulness Club

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MIND
FULNESS
    20   MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.
HUMDEV, WELLNESS
          AND MINDFULNESS
                                                            BY MARY COLLIE

                                                 K
                                                           now thyself. It’s an ancient   It is this basic desire to help
                                                           Greek maxim that has           adolescents understand themselves
                                                           influenced societies and       and their relationships that MA’s
                                                           peoples for centuries. It      Human Development course is based

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                                                 gets to the most basic need of human     on. And it is in the spirit of self-
            This is the one                      existence: understand yourself and
                                                 your place in the world and you will
                                                                                          discovery and self-reflection that the
                                                                                          course has evolved and changed over
         place academically                      be better equipped to interact and       the last 20+ years and become the

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                                                 contribute to the needs of those         cornerstone of the school’s wellness
          in the school day                      around you. With self-knowledge
                                                 comes strength and resilience and
                                                                                          program. Currently serving ninth and
                                                                                          tenth graders, the course is focused
          that students get                      wellness.                                on planting seeds and sowing ideas of

               to leave
           everything else
              and just be
             themselves.

               CHEYENNE ROBERTSON
           Director of Community Action and
         Human Development Teacher (2014-2018)

    21     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                 NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

         self-knowledge while complementing
         the imbedded community values for
         social and emotional wellness for
         young people.

         At the helm of the Human
         Development program for the last 16
         years, Sanjai Moses has seen the course
         and curriculum evolve as student
         need has changed. But at the core of
         the program is a deep institutional
         commitment to helping students be
         their best selves and understanding
         how they thrive in their relationships
         and how they interact with others, both
         in the community and out.

         “The program was started in 1995
         by Shafia Zaloom, currently a health
         educator at the Urban School. When
         I arrived, the course was just for
         freshmen, had no curriculum and no
         scope and sequence,” said Sanjai.
         “I inherited the program from Diana

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         Cunningham [former MA science
         teacher] who had taken it over from
         someone else, and in those years
         the passing down of information
         stalled.” The product of the course

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                                                   valued on par with any other subject       in the school day that students get
         being reinvented every year was still
                                                   taught.                                    to leave everything else and just be
         student focused, but the robustness
                                                                                              themselves. This is where it’s low
         and cohesiveness of the curriculum left   In 2005, the Human Development             stakes. There are no grades and we
         something to be desired. And that’s       course was modified yet again. The         try our best to create a space without
         when Sanjai went to work re-building      new course would expand its reach to       judgement. Students just get to show
         the program from the ground up.           tenth grade and add another teacher.       up with who they are and where they
                                                   This new iteration afforded students       are in their life,” said Cheyenne.
         As a seasoned health educator before
                                                   a space in their first two years of high   “Students come in with a huge range
         she came to MA, Sanjai had worked
                                                   school to specifically address their       of experiences and perspectives, and
         with plenty of community agencies
                                                   social and emotional development and       all of that is ok and it’s ok to explore
         as a way to teach adolescents about
                                                   laid the groundwork for what Sanjai        with classmates and themselves. That’s
         their own experiences and how those
                                                   says is her dream: a four year human       so different from their other classes.
         experiences influence relationships.
                                                   development curriculum supported by        Yes we have goals for every lesson,
         She tapped many of those same
                                                   a larger department and more contact       but we’re not assessing them and
         agencies to engage with and learn
                                                   time with students.                        sometimes class goes in a different
         from, and she relied on her previous
         work with young people to build the                                                  direction. That means the students
                                                   But before that dream happens,
         program students experience today.                                                   were engaged and took it somewhere
                                                   Sanjai and Cheyenne, fellow human
         Best of all, she found that the MA way                                               else. That’s what’s exciting.”
                                                   development teacher, recognize all
         of addressing the whole child meant       the exciting work they’re doing with       Along with a host of information shared
         that Human Development was an             students.                                  in class on topics ranging from identity
         integral part of the student experience
                                                                                              to gender to ethics to communication,
         here and her work in the classroom was    “This is the one place academically
                                                                                              the most valuable component of the

    22     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                      NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

             Dustin Decker ‘17, and other members of MA Cross
             Country, engage in stretching exercises after a run
             during the Fall 2016 season.

             Injury-prevention is a big part of what coaches at MA
             emphasize, and being diligent with warm-up and cool-
             down routines is a big part of keeping athletes’ bodies
             healthy and injury-free.

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         course is the skills students learn in         deep commitment to helping students        at the core of teaching students how
         terms of capacity building for social          become more aware and more                 to navigate an ever-changing world.
         and emotional wellness.                        knowledgeable of themselves and            Through the cultivation of not only
                                                        others that the Human Development          forming one’s personal values but also
         “We want students to ask: Am I                 curriculum has flourished. As the          articulating those values to others
         teaching you how I want to be treated          primary place for students to build        when it matters most, the Human
         through my actions and non-verbal              their tools of self-reflection and self-   Development course has equipped
         communication? And do I have an                awareness, the seeds of self-discovery     MA’s students with the tools necessary
         awareness of that? Do students notice          are sowed and encouraged to blossom.       to advocate for themselves and their
         patterns that they’re creating for                                                        peer groups and make a meaningful
         themselves around their social and             As MA implements a more robust             impact on communities both large and
         emotional needs?” said Sanjai. It is           wellness curriculum this fall, the Human   small..
         through this line of questions and a           Development course will always be

    23     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                          2018 201823
                                                                                                                                NEXUSNEXUS
WELLNESS AT MA

          VIEW FROM                  “I think about Human Development
                                     all of the time,” said MA Alum Julia
                                                                                Development classroom as a defining
                                                                                experience of her time at MA. And
                                     Rosenberg ‘15. “I have been around         the lessons that she learned about the
             A TA                    such a diverse group of people since
                                     I left MA, and so many of them didn’t
                                                                                world and herself, have stayed with her
                                                                                long beyond her time at MA.
                                     talk about the topics we talked about
                                     in Hum Dev. No one has had as good         “Being a TA was such a confidence
                                     a social education as we did, and it       boost. I was able to step into a
                                     makes me so grateful that I got to take    teaching role because Sanjai gave me
                                     and teach that class.”                     so much responsibility,” said Julia. “The
                                                                                class taught me how to speak up, speak
                                     An integral part of the Human              authentically, how to articulate certain
                                     Development curriculum is peer-            challenging topics, and how to balance
                                     to-peer education. Not only does           this professional but comfortable
                                     peer-to-peer education make many of        relationship with peers. There was a lot
          The class taught           the lessons more impactful, but it also    of learning and re-learning topics, and
                                     brings levity to some intense moments      I’m still teaching some of those same
          me how to speak            as students share their experiences with   lessons to others today.”
                                     others.
              up, speak              Started in Sanjai’s early years as the
                                                                                Having the opportunity to lead
                                                                                discussions about such topics as mental

         authentically, how          Human Development teacher, the
                                     Teaching Assistant program has grown
                                                                                health, gender roles, and consent
                                                                                allowed Julia to deeply connect not

            to articulate            into a coveted leadership position on      only with her peers but also the ideas

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                                     campus. It requires rigorous training,     being discussed in the classroom.

         certain challenging         regular meetings, and giving up
                                     a free block. But regardless of the        “I got to teach and we got to talk

         topics, and how to          commitment and demand, students
                                     love being TAs and have found their
                                                                                about issues in an acceptable and
                                                                                open-minded way. That’s so not the

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w            balance this            experience in that role to be some of
                                     the most transformative of their MA
                                                                                norm elsewhere. Rarely do people talk
                                                                                about such important issues in such an

          professional but           career.                                    experiential way and in ways that are
                                                                                relevant to our age group and kids and

            comfortable              As a TA for three semesters, Julia
                                     saw her participation in the Human
                                                                                people like us.”

          relationship with
                peers.

               JULIA ROSENBERG ‘15
                          Alumna

    *

    24    MARIN ACADEMY    Think. Question. Create.									                                                        NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

         PROFILE: Joani Lacey                      students as they navigate life’s most
                                                   essential question: Who am I? And it is
         School Counselor                          from this question and her long tenure
                                                   as a Marriage and Family Therapist
         There’s been a steady stream of
                                                   (the last 17 of which have been at MA),
         media coverage telling the world
         that adolescence is hard, and it’s
                                                   that Joani looks to guide students to         There’s actual
                                                   discover their best selves.
         getting more complicated with each
         generation. There’s social media to
                                                                                                 research that
                                                   “High school is about trying things
         contend with, ever-present connectivity
         to navigate, and the growing concern
                                                   on. The [students’] job is really to      supports the work
                                                   become as self-aware as they possibly
         that today’s teens are overloaded and
         over-worked on a daily basis. Add to
                                                   can and figure out what’s working and     we do here at MA.
                                                   what’s not working and how they can
         that overload a host of both internal
         and external pressures, and Joani
                                                   acknowledge the grey areas in life,”        If you calm your
                                                   said Joani.
         Lacey, MA’s school counselor, is an
         integral part of the school’s evolving    As a long-time member of the MA
                                                                                                 mind, you will
         health and wellness curriculum that
         strives to educate students about how
                                                   community, Joani has built a solid
                                                   reputation as a health professional who
                                                                                                reduce cortisol
         they function in the world and in the
         relationships they maintain.
                                                   honors confidentiality, creates a space
                                                   for students to speak honestly about
                                                                                                   [the stress
         From her downstairs office in Founders
                                                   what’s going on, and offers students
                                                   tools to navigate the challenges of
                                                                                              hormone]. Giving
         Hall, a space that looks more like        relationships and social and emotional
                                                                                             students skills and

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         an inviting studio apartment than         issues that are a natural part of life.
         a counselor’s office, Joani supports
                                                                                             strategies to deal
                                                                                              with whatever is
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                                                                                                  moment has
                                                                                              helped students
                                                                                             take their work to
                                                                                                the next level.

                                                                                                   JOANI LACEY
                                                                                                  School Counselor

    *

    25     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                         NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

         “I always try to [get students] to look
         at situations through the lens of their
         relationships with friends and family
         and understand who they are,” said
         Joani. Additionally, she uses her work
         with Dr. Dan Siegel to explain to teens
         how their brains work in relation to their
         emotional well-being.

         “There’s actual research that supports
         the work we do here at MA. If you calm
         your mind, you will reduce cortisol [the
         stress hormone]. Giving students skills
         and strategies to deal with whatever is
         coming up in the moment has helped
         students take their work to the next
         level.”

         Joani has been a major supporter and
         advocate for students since she started
         working here. Be it in her work with
         Peer Resources, Women in Support and
         Empowerment (WISE), or a member
         of the Dean’s group, she has been

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         a consultant and resource for nearly
         every member of the community. And
         it is from her work with students and
         colleagues that she has helped foster
                                                      It is in his capacity of athletic trainer   active and healthy lifestyle that includes
         the compassionate and sensitive

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                                                      that Aaron has a unique perspective on      movement preparation and education
         and supportive community students
                                                      the entire athletic community and the       regardless of athletic experience. As
         experience every day.
                                                      role that physical health and wellness      students become more well versed in
                                                      can have on the student body.               the needs of their own bodies and how
                                                                                                  physical activity positively manifests
                                                      “Whatever students are doing—skiing,        in their overall emotional well-being,
         PROFILE: Aaron Gill ‘94                      or dancing, or organized sport—there        students will be more prepared
                                                      seems to be a lot of doing. We’re           to flourish in all areas of their MA
         Athletic Trainer                             pushing the boundaries of how much          experiences.
         We’ve all seen him on the sidelines.         we can do physically. But if we’re
         He’s there waiting, watching,                not preparing students to move and          “We want to get all students feeling
         anticipating how he can help when an         move well, to use our new Wellness          comfortable in the Wellness Center and
         athlete is in need. He never steps into      Center and the resources down here,         in moving regularly. We want students
         the limelight or the main action or any      our students won’t be prepared to           to use this space to get stronger across
         athletic contest, but he’s always there to   compete and thrive,” said Aaron. “The       a host of spectrums, so that whenever
         make sure the game or the big moment         bigger picture is getting all of our        they want to move and whatever they
         go well. For the last ten years, Aaron       students down [in the Wellness Center]      want to do, they will be more prepared
         Gill ‘94 has been a consistent supporter     and helping them get stronger and           and able to succeed,” said Aaron.
         of the MA athletics program. He has          prepared to be lifelong movers.”
         watched countless practices and
                                                      With the new Mindy, Body, Brain
         games; taped ankles and knees and
                                                      curriculum starting this fall, students
         wrists; and been there to help athletes
                                                      will have the opportunity to address
         recover from injury and return to play
                                                      different avenues for maintaining an
         healthier and stronger than before.
    *

    26     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                           NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

            MIND, BODY, BRAIN

         “Mind is the king of the senses; breath   and really think about stress, both
         is the king of the mind.” This comes      when competing in athletics and in
         from a 15th Century Sanskrit manual on    academics.”
         Hatha Yoga and yet it couldn’t be more
         relevant today. Walk into any bookstore   One of the biggest benefits of the
                                                   new wellness program is showing
                                                                                                 There are so many
         or peruse the Amazon top ten lists, and
         you will find scores of books directing   students that athletics are co-curricular
                                                   and getting all students into the new
                                                                                                 cognitive benefits
         us to use our mind to overcome anxiety,
         stress and worry. Layer on what we all    Wellness Center.
                                                                                                     to exercise,
         know as fact, that physical movement
         and mobility contributes to longer and
                                                   “There are so many cognitive benefits
                                                                                                    especially at a

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                                                   to exercise, especially at a school as
         happier and healthier lives, and you’ve
         got yourself the foundation for MA’s
                                                   academically rigorous as ours. We all
                                                   know that students perform better
                                                                                                 school as academ-
         new wellness course: Mind, Body, Brain.

         Designed around the three pillars
                                                   when they take a step outside of the
                                                   classroom and connect with their
                                                                                                  ically rigorous as
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         of health—physical, mental and            bodies,” said Kacie. “Additionally,
         neuroscience/brain—the course             we’ve been in our new space for a year
         focuses on the importance of creating
         healthy, lifelong habits that lead to
                                                   now, and people have seen the space
                                                   and it’s less intimidating. And we want
                                                                                                    that students
         more productive lives. The course will
         be offered to ninth graders during
                                                   all students to know how to properly
                                                   use the equipment so all members
                                                                                                   perform better
         second semester.                          of the community feel empowered to
                                                   engage in the space.”
                                                                                                   when they take
         As one of the main architects of the
         new wellness program, MA’s Athletic       Students will learn in both a classroom        a step outside of
                                                   setting and in the Wellness Center, and
         Director Kacie Schilling is eager to
         launch this class and is excited to       every single participant will get certified   the classroom and
                                                   in CPR and First Aid. Also, all students
         complement the work already being
         done in Human Development.                must pass a swim test to be considered        connect with their
                                                   water safe.
         “We want to show students the best                                                             bodies.
         practices and habits for extended and     “We are surrounded by water here
         lifelong health, and teach students       in the Bay Area and we want to get
         how to educate themselves on how to       every student in our pool to make sure
         keep their body healthy and engaged       they’re water safe. This is exciting on
         in movement,” said Kacie. “We’re          so many different levels as we often
         asking broad questions like, what does    assume our students can swim and
         it mean to be healthy? We want to         many cannot.”                                     KACIE SCHILLING
         move beyond nutrition and exercise                                                           Athletic Director

    27     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                              NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

           MINDFULNESS CLUB

         I
            t’s a hectic Tuesday and my week         panic attacks. I was just breaking down    a TFP summer workshop in the hills
            is packed with lunch meetings for        often and having a really hard time,”      of Southern California offered her
            various things: English 2 curriculum     said Sophie. “When I sought help from      transformative tools she had to share
            discussion, advising updates,            Joani, she asked why I wasn’t using        with her peers and manifest in her
         reviewing student essays, and more.         my mindfulness work on myself. I was       own life. So it was after her freshman
         Quite honestly, the last thing I want       sharing it with my friends, but I had to   year at MA that she realized she
         to do is give up my only free lunch of      use it to my advantage. My mom was         wanted to start a mindfulness club, a
         the week. But I do it, and I head up        telling me the same thing, so I knew it    place where she could share her tools
         to Thacher for the weekly student-          would help me with my struggles.”          with a broader audience. Enter Mark
         led Mindfulness Club meeting. There                                                    Stefanski, and the mindfulness club had
         are maybe ten of us in the room             Tools For Peace (TFP) is a program         an advisor and mentor.
         when Sophie S. ‘19 begins the group         focused on inspiring people of all ages
         mindfulness practice. We are asked to       to develop kindness and compassion         A veteran MA science teacher and

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         close our eyes, relax into our seats, and   in everyday life. For Sophie, attending    credentialed youth mindfulness
         step away from all of the chaos outside
         the room.

         As Sophie’s voice guides my breath and

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w        slows my thoughts, I drift away from my
         classes and meetings that have filled
         my day, and I just sit in the space with
         the quiet. I may have even drifted off
         to sleep for a few precious moments.
         I don’t know how long the guided
         meditation lasted, nor do I really care,
         because when Sophie brings us all
         back, and we all open our eyes, there is
         a space not present before. There is a
         calm and an exhale that reveals what’s
         just happened: we’ve reset ourselves,
         stepped away, given ourselves some
         time to flourish.

         For Sophie, leader of the Mindfulness
         Club, allowing herself some time to
         step away and reset her thinking is an
         essential part of surviving school and
         the pressures she puts on herself.

         “Freshman year I had a lot of anxiety.
         I was incredibly overwhelmed. I had
         unhealthy sleep habits. I was having

    28     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                       NEXUS 2018
WELLNESS AT MA

         instructor, Mark came to mindfulness           As students learn to care for themselves
         as a way to reduce stress in his own           and for others with more intention and
         life. From his mindfulness practice he         compassion, the hecticness of daily
         learned to manage his own emotional            life can be put in perspective and the
         life with greater calm and intention, and      stressors most often associated with
         learned to pause and collect himself           anxiety can be managed with greater           The first thing to
         in moments of high stress. Overall, his        ease. Best of all, the benefits of a
         practice has allowed him to become a           regular mindfulness practice can be felt        go when we’re
         better husband and teacher and human           quickly and in only a few minutes a day.
         being.
                                                        “The first thing to go when we’re
                                                                                                         stressed and
         “The more I studied [mindfulness] the
         more I thought, this could be shared
                                                        stressed and busy is self-care because
                                                        it feels so extra when you have so much
                                                                                                       busy is self-care
         with teenagers. Research is coming in
         that shows that a mindfulness practice
                                                        going on and grabbing your attention.
                                                        But I was reminded that if you don’t
                                                                                                       because it feels
         helps teens and young people pay
         attention better, manage their emotion-
                                                        have ten minutes, you’re too busy.
                                                        Nobody should be so busy that they
                                                                                                        so extra when
         al lives better, and reduce overall stress
         and anxiety,” said Mark. “The newest
                                                        don’t have ten minutes,” said Sophie.
                                                        “I always have ten minutes. I may not
                                                                                                      you have so much
         component that is emerging is what I
         would call heartfulness, the capacity
                                                        always use it in the way I’d like to, but I
                                                        always have five or ten minutes to give
                                                                                                         going on and
         for compassion, including self-compas-
         sion and a willingness to help others in
                                                        to myself. I’m worth it.”
                                                                                                        grabbing your
         need.”
                                                                                                        attention. But I
w                                                                                                       was reminded
                                                                                                       that if you don’t
                                                                                                                                                     '
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w                                                                                                     have ten minutes,
                                                                                                       you’re too busy.
                                                                                                        Nobody should
                                                                                                       be so busy that
                                                                                                       they don’t have
                                                                                                         ten minutes.

                                                                                                                  SOPHIE S. ‘19
                                                                                                      Student, leader of the Mindfulness Club
         Members of Mindfulness and Meditation Club taking their skills to the community. This
         past year they worked with both Coleman Elementary School and Sun Valley Elementary
         to share their practice with 4th and 5th graders.

    29     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                            NEXUS 2018
CLASS NOTES

                                    CHARTING
                                   THE COURSE
                                                            CLASS NOTES

         76
                              Ellen Haller writes, “After 30 years
                              on the full-time faculty in the UCSF
                              Department of Psychiatry, I retired
                              as of 6/30/18. It was wonderful to
                              celebrate retirement by completing
         the AIDS/LifeCycle for my sixth time; this 545 mile, 7 day

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         fundraising bike ride from SF to LA raised over $16 million
         this year! My medical career started just as the AIDS
         epidemic began, and I’m thrilled that I can do at least a
         little bit to help combat it even all these decades later.”
         | Peter Tempel shares that he’s “Retired and loving life.

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w        Lots of music, some travel, a little romance, old and new
         friends. Blessed to be in my ancestral home. My advice
         for life is to choose wise ancestors! Due to meditation
         and surrounding myself with kind people, I’m finding joy
         and losing weight. To MA Community members who are
         engaged in important work for those less fortunate, I’m
         eager to participate. Like my wise ancestors, I choose
         egalitarian efforts that make us grateful again!” | Chris
         Conrad is “Still removing honey bees from walls, teaching
         bees, up here in Santa Rosa. Business is booming after        Ellen, and her wife, Joanne, while on the AIDS/LifeCycle.
         11 years getting my name known. Service all Bay Area.
         Going through the change from married life, to single life,
         again. This time though, much easier, but not easy. One
         son at USC completing masters of Architecture degree,
         and the other, a union mechanic fixing dozers at the
         dump in HMB. Fishing salmon out of Bodega off my boat
         occasionally. Couldn’t be more grateful for all of it!”

                                                                       Chris Conrad’s big wall hive—a whopper!

    30     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                       NEXUS 2018
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

         Wellness in the
         Community
         Anwen Baumeister ’12

         Anwen Baumeister ‘12 recently had             now. “I would not be where I am today       ships between different people and
         the opportunity to use her acquired           without Peter Poutiatine and all of the     between people and the earth.” Anwen
         knowledge, experience, and training           Outings leaders. Trixie Sabundayo and       has observed that people are hungry
         gained through her vast MA experienc-         Nancy Hoffman also greatly expanded         for healthy food rooted in cultural
         es and world travel and funnel it all into    and challenged my world views and           lineages, hungry for real connections
         the proud ownership of a wellness café        influenced how I relate to social justice   between themselves and other people,
         located in Oakland: The Well.                 and politics today. Randy Paufve and        and hungry for a place where anyone
                                                       Stephanie Ballas were instrumental in       can walk through the door and feel at
         Anwen lives near her old MA hood on           my creative process through dance           home. “Part of my journey is being able
         a medicinal herb farm she started a few       and other creative forms. Sanjai Moses,     to turn a lineage of scarcity into one of
         years ago but her journey to where she        Joani Lacey, and Charis Denison were        abundance for myself, my family, and
         is today started at an early age. “I was      all wonderful mentors in the realms         my community.”
         born and raised in a Chinese American         of community building and human
         household where community, wellness,                                                      Anwen’s favorite at The Well—and the

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                                                       relations.”
         and healing foods were a central part of                                                  most popular? The karma bowl and
         Chinese culture. Growing up, my mom           After graduating, Anwen went to             karma drink, which are “pay-what-you-
         always cooked healthy food with Chi-          American University in DC and majored       can” options in order to keep healthy
         nese medicines boiling on the stovetop        in International Studies and minored        food accessible to the entire commu-
         and aspirin tossed in the trash. Com-         in Dance. She took a semester off
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                                                                                                   nity.
         munity, wellness, and healing foods are       and backpacked through Argentina,
         also a central part of my family’s survival   Chile, and Costa Rica, where she was        You can find more info about The Well’s
         story. During the Chinese Cultural            able to work on different farms and         menu and offerings at www.thewell-
         Revolution (on my mom’s side) and the         be a part of various communities. She       cafe.com.
         Great Depression (on my dad’s side),          also spent a semester abroad in New
         both sides of my family stayed alive by       Zealand and worked for 5 months on
         growing their own food and taking care        a farm. Through studying international
         of one another.”                              development, the phrase that most
                                                       resonated with her was, “Think global,
         Anwen’s journey continued its widening        act local.” Anwen says, “I saw a lot of
         path at MA where the Outings program          harm done from folks going to other
         served as a major influence. “The                                                             Author Kier Holmes ’89 enjoyed
                                                       developing countries thinking that they
         Outings program first introduced me to                                                        photography and various
                                                       knew how to “fix” the issues and only
         permaculture, farming, and reciprocal                                                         outdoor adventures offered at
                                                       ended up making them worse because
         relationship with nature. It was also                                                         Marin Academy. Kier went on to
                                                       they didn’t truly know the context. I
         through this program where I learned                                                          graduate from UC Berkeley in
                                                       wanted to return to where I’m from and
         how to be in a community of peers                                                             Social Science and first became
                                                       dive deep into the community context
         and other living beings.” And it was                                                          an advertising copywriter and now
                                                       and see how I could be most effective.”
         on her senior year Vision Quest where                                                         a landscape designer and garden
         Anwen first drew up plans to have her         Today Anwen’s passion and goal is to            educator. Currently she is also a
         own permaculture farm. Not surpris-           turn her newly acquired health-oriented         contributing writer for Gardenista,
         ingly, numerous MA teachers inspired          café into “a space facilitating healing,        Sunset and Marin Magazine.
         Anwen to do what she is accomplishing         reconnection, and reciprocal relation-

    31     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                            2016 201831
                                                                                                                                  NEXUSNEXUS
CLASS NOTES

          A                                         B

                                                                                                A	
                                                                                                  Amy and Sabra in La Paz
                                                                                                  Mexico, May 2018.
                                                                                                  Amy Karen Wise ’78 and
                                                                                                  Sabra Droham ‘78
                                                                                                B	
                                                                                                  Jacqueline Bach-y-Rita ’79
                                                                                                C	
                                                                                                  Stephen with wife Ritsuko
                                                                                                  and children Chiyori, Taiki
                                                                                                  and Kento.
          C
                                                                                                  Stephen Morse ’88

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         79                                         86                                          88
                              Mark Battat says,                          Pam Greenberg                              Stephen Morse
                              “I was given a                             writes, “After                             shares that “the

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w                             phenomenal
                              opportunity to work
                                                                         spending years as a
                                                                         teacher, writer and
                                                                                                                    Morse family has
                                                                                                                    been busy with two
         the Southern California market for G2      translator, I went back to school and       of their children Chiyori and Taiki at
         Insurance where I’ve been since we         got a counseling degree. I now work         MCDS, and Kento starting kindergarten
         opened the doors in 2012. I still get      primarily with struggling teenagers,        next year. This summer they spent 6
         back to the Bay Area every 4 - 6 weeks     but also with kids and adults. My son,      weeks in Japan going to school and
         for client and office meetings and, of     Gabriel, is now 10, and is a great light    learning Japanese. Stephen has started
         course, to see my family. I’m having a     in my life. From time to time we play       his own Consulting company and is
         ball!” | Jacqueline Bach-y-Rita writes,    soccer together, and I have coached         a teacher in training for mindfulness
         “I enjoyed tasting raw cocoa beans in      many of his teams throughout the            based emotional intelligence program,
         Kauai this winter!”                        years. We also have a new puppy,            Search Inside Yourself (SIYLI), while
                                                    Willy, a mini golden doodle. We live in     Ritsuko is studying with a Japanese
                                                    Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I am        ceramic master to learn a specific

         81
                            Anne Chaitin shares,    intermittently politically active, trying   ancient pottery technique. | Anastacia
                            “After landing a        to do what I can to restore the country     Maggioncalda writes “We had a lovely
                            contract job last       to sanity (and aware that I’m not doing     Class of ‘88 get together in Sausalito
                            August, I was offered   enough). I often think about the many       this past July. Fun to catch up with
         a permanent job with the company. I        things I got from Marin Academy,            those who were able to attend! (Even a
         am now an Accounting Manager and           including a love of nature, a passion       few from other classes!)”
         I continue to volunteer with the San       for social justice, and an appreciation
         Francisco Ballet.”                         for beauty in literature and the arts.
                                                    Wishing the best to all of you. Keep on
                                                    pursuing your dreams!”

    32     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                     NEXUS 2018
89
                             Kier Holmes writes,
                             “I am learning to
                             wear many hats
                             these days: I’m a
         landscape designer but now also a
         contributing writer for Marin Magazine,
         Sunset Magazine and Gardenista,
         besides being a garden educator at
         the Mill Valley Library, and a mom and
         wife. I remind myself that nature prefers
         diversity.”

         90
                              Michelle Katz
                              writes, “My best
                              friend Anne
                              Lamoreaux got
         married to my husband’s best friend,
         Scott Anderson, on July 14, 2018.”
         | Joanna Nelson says hello to all
         and shares that, “I work for myself in
         research and consulting at LandSea
         Science, and I’ve been having a full
         summer. I went to South Africa in June:

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         to Cape Town for an “Adaptation
         Futures” climate-adaptation
         conference, where I presented,
         and then on to Rhodes University
         in Grahamstown, where I have an

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w        honorary research appointment and
         a wonderful collaborator in a current
         project on protected lands in mountain
         headwaters that bolster freshwater
         supplies downstream. I had one full
         day of vacation to myself during the
         trip and I went on safari, which was
         extraordinary. I also honored the life
         of my sister, Kirstin Nelson ‘92 by
         hiking in a nature reserve with two
         South African friends; we hiked 21 km
         along the coast, honoring and blessing
         Kirstin’s 20-year death anniversary.
         Still in Santa Cruz with my family; our     Michelle Katz’ daughter, Brooke, with Anne Lamoreaux at the wedding on July 14.
         children are 11 and 8 years old. I’m
         wishing Happy July birthdays to Katie
         Warfield ‘92 and Beau Leonhart,
         amazing retired math teacher!” |
         Joanna also shares that, “Kimberley
         Cooper Kissoyan ‘91 takes a road
         trip with her three sons almost every
         summer from Austin, TX and she came
         to visit us!”

    33     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                           NEXUS 2018
CLASS NOTES

         A	Kimberley Cooper Kissoyan
             with her sons Simon, Aris &
             Edwin, and Joana Nelson’s
             family, husband Yair, son Leor
             and daughter Aolani.”
         B	Thessaly Lerner’s animated
             series, Astrid Strudelman.
         C	Mesoamerican ruins in
             Mexico (April, 2018)
             Eric Wiesen ‘93.
                                                     A                                                 C

                                                     B

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         92                                         93
                               Scott Porter has                          Adrian West writes,    a class of first graders at Camellia
                               been having a busy                        “Aiden (almost         Waldorf School in Sacramento, CA.
                               year, “starting my                        5) became a big        After eight profoundly rich years

w
w                              own Architectural
         and Landscape photography business
                                                                         brother to Owen on
                                                    June 12th.” | Eric Wiesen says, “2018
                                                                                                together, I graduated my class on June
                                                                                                9th. Now my students, some of whom
         (SCP Digital), as well as being elected    has been a strange and wondrous year        started with me in first grade, are off
         President of the alumni association        for the Wiesen family. Lots of travel       to high school! The culmination of
         of the fraternity I joined at Cal Poly,    (Mexico City, France in June with Jeff      our journey included an amazing 8th
         San Luis Obispo - Delta Upsilon. I         Wiesen ‘98 and David Wiesen ‘95,            grade class trip which began with an
         have been living and working in Marin      sort of), NYC with our kids Elliot (7)      Amtrak train ride to Utah for rafting on
         County for the past 15 years, and I        and Lyra (5), lots of wondering about       the San Juan River and volunteering
         wouldn’t have it any other way!” |         what’s happening to the world. Work         on a Navajo reservation. The joy of
         Thessaly Lerner writes, “Hi friends! My    continues to be great, as Bullpen           the season continued as my husband,
         animated series, Astrid Strudelman,        Capital raised our fourth venture capital   Denis, and I set off on a month-long
         the Unicorn Whisperer, is now on           fund. Look forward to being more            summer tour of Italy and Switzerland
         Dreamworks TV’s Amazon Prime               connected to MA in the year to come.”       to celebrate the end of eight beautiful
         Channel. I created, wrote, produced,                                                   years with my class and our 7-year
         directed, cast and starred in it, and                                                  anniversary.” | Jason Rezaian writes,

                                                    94
         continue to create/pitch animated                             Amber (Proaps)           “2018 has already been a very full year.
         shows. I have a cameo in the movie                            Fitts shares “In         In January I returned to work full time
         Sorry To Bother You and am creating/                          summer of 2010,          at The Washington Post. I have moved
         writing an audio preschool series about                       I completed my           from news to opinions and am enjoying
         the Ukulady and Unicorndog, launching      training as a Waldorf grades teacher        the shift so much. I also started a side
         in 2019.”                                  and began an eight-year journey with        hustle as a contributor

    34     MARIN ACADEMY   Think. Question. Create.									                                                                       NEXUS 2018
at CNN. Yegi and I are adjusting to our        caregiving. The growing-up-fast kid in       ago called Epic and chase unusual
         lives in DC, we bought house in the            question, Caliandra, is now fully 8 years    stories around the world. At one point,
         city, she her first job in the U.S. (as the    of age and dabbles with increasing           I tracked down an art thief in Italy and
         Communication Director at the World            competence in the circus, musical, and       he taught Kali how to rob a palazzo in
         Affairs Council, DC) and I’m putting the       theatrical arts.”                            Venice. She took notes.”
         finishing touches on my book about my
         time in Iran. It will be out in late January

                                                        96                                           97
         2019.                                                                Ellie (Argilla)                           Annie Showalter
                                                                              Vargas says, “Hello                       O’Connor writes,
                                                                              classmates! I am                          “Annie Schowalter

         95
                             Josh Knox                                        finally emerging                          O’Connor and
                             writes, “Western           from the fog of raising young children       Brendan O’Connor are happily
                             Massachusetts is           (emergING, not yet fully emergED). I’ve      celebrating their 7th wedding
                             still too far from         recently transitioned out of the job I’ve    anniversary this fall; gardening, hiking,
         campus to attend reunions, but we              held for more than eight years to focus      and surfing in their free time. Brendan
         have enjoyed seeing Dylan Sears and            entirely on my private psychotherapy         works as an independent architectural
         family during this stretch while they are      practice while cultivating a new             sheetmetal contractor in West Marin,
         near in CT. We also had the pleasure           business I started this year: Bay Area       and Annie is co-founder and chief client
         of seeing Cindi Stephan ‘94, Ben               Center for Immigration Evaluations.          officer of milk+honey where she helps
         Hartshorne and Willow Regnery ‘96              I look forward to this change of pace        companies to create strategic adoption
         on a brief trip to California early this       and the challenges and rewards it is         plans for AI and machine learning
         summer. I continue to work as a park           sure to bring!” | Joshua Davis shares,       (www.milkandhoney.ai/).”
         ranger for The Trustees, the oldest land       “I’ve been traveling a lot with my kids

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         trust in the US. My wife, Brita, continues     lately. Kali is 11 and Kirin is 8 and it’s
         the excitement of juggling part-time           fun to see the world through their
         teaching, consulting, and primary kid-         eyes. I started a magazine a few years

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         D	8th Grade Graduation -
             Amber Fitts with student
             Cece at Camellia Waldorf
             School, Sacramento, CA.
         E	Joshua Davis reporting a
             story in Jerusalem with his
             daughter, Kali.
         F	Annie Showalter O’Connor
             with husband, Brendan
             O’Connor.                                   D                                     E

                                                         F

    35     MARIN ACADEMY    Think. Question. Create.									                                                                            NEXUS 2018
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