HAMDEN HALL TOGETHER

 
Our Senior Parent Legacy Fund is a meaningful opportunity for families to celebrate their senior and their time spent under the pines. Over the next few issues of Hamden Hall Happenings, we will share some of our senior families’ Hamden Hall Experiences.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Aitro
P 2021; PP 2016
“Hamden Hall has given our child the opportunity to put herself in a variety of different leadership positions that led her to be a positive role model for all
ages on campus.”
 
Click here (SPLF) to make a gift to the Senior Parent Legacy Fund.
 

Attention Seniors! 

Get your 2021 Alumni T-Shirt by making a gift of $20.21 to the Hamden Hall Fund! Hurry and get your orders in by May 10.
Click here (STS) to order. 

ALUMNI BUZZ

2013 Alumnus Educates Windy City Youth

Jonathan Blader, Class of 2013, reached out to report that he has been living in Chicago since 2017.

He moved to the windy city following his graduation in 2017 from Franklin and Marshall College. He resides there with his fiancée, Emma, and their recently adopted dog, Addie!
Click here (JB) to read more.

1955 Alum Remains Lifelong Learner

Ernest “Ernie” Peterson, Class of 1955, says he’s always been a lifelong learner.
“Still am,” he quips. 
 
That self-appointed designation takes on new meaning when you view Ernie’s career through a wide lens. After 25 years as a public servant within the federal government, Ernie went into the private sector in such fields as custom home construction and advertising.
 
Click here (EP) to read more.

Alumna to Perform on Stage She Helped Restore

A dream more than 10 years in the making comes to fruition this weekend for Stephanie Stiefel Williams, Class of 1983. The 127-seat Legacy Theatre in Stony Creek opens its doors to the public for its debut show, and Stephanie will perform on a long-dormant stage that she helped restore. 
 
Stephanie and her co-founder, Keely Baisden Knudsen, purchased the 117-year-old Stony Creek Puppet House in 2013 and have worked tirelessly since then on a $4 million restoration project to bring the arts back to the fabled venue.
 
Click here (SSW) to read more.

SAVE THE DATE!

  • April 23: LS Parent Conference Day; no Lower School in session.
  • April 29: Admissions In-Person Tours, starting at 9.a.m. Register here.
  • May 13: Painting Under the Pines Parent Paint Night, 6:30 p.m., Taylor Gymnasium. Register here.
  • May 20: Admissions In-Person Tours, starting at 9.a.m. Register here.
  • May 22: MayFest 2021, Noon, Davis Street Lawn.
  • June 11: Commencement 2021.
  • June 12: Junior-Senior Prom, 7-10 p.m., New Haven Country Club.

HALLERS OF FAME

Lauren Golioto, an eighth-grader, placed first on the bars and vault and was named the First Place All-Around Champion in the Level 8 CT State Gymnastics Championships on March 26. 
 
Nathaniel Thomas, a senior, qualified for the 2021 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Exam based on his high score on the local test he took remotely in March. According to chemistry teacher Dr. Frank Gasparro, Hamden Hall had two of the 10 finalists from the New Haven Section of the American Chemical Society, which covers all New Haven County schools.
 
Lucy Xu, a junior, was invited to take Part 2 of the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Exam after having qualified to take the first part in March. She is one of only 200 students from across the nation to advance to this phase of the competition. According to chemistry teacher Dr. Frank Gasparro, "Lucy is setting a new bar by reaching new heights in the Chem Olympiad!"

SPORTING HORNETS

With our Spring Athletics Season underway, our own sports analyst Bud Kohler brings us a birds-eye view of the competitions currently taking place on the field, court, and course.
 
Girls Lax Blend Experience & Youth to Start 1-1: Click here (GL) to read more.
Boys Lax on the Way Back: Click here (BL) to read more.
Golf Preview: Best Ever?: Click here (GT) to read more.
Baseball Earn Split with King; Tame Cats: Click here (VB) to read more.
Boys Tennis Preview: Click here (BT) to read more.

THE HORNET'S NEST

This new light-weight dri fit hoodie is just what you need for going to and from the gym this spring!
Find it at The Hornet's Nest online school store! Click here (SS) to visit.

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Save the Date!

The 29th Annual Golf Tournament & Auction, sponsored by Dave McDermott and McDermott Lexus, will be held on Monday, June 14, at the New Haven Country Club. Proceeds benefit Hamden Hall Athletics, Scholarship, and Student Initiatives. More details to come. Call Anna Pesce at 203.752.2616 to play, sponsor, and/or donate auction items.
Volume: XI  Issue: 14
April 22, 2021     

From Writing Poems to Taking Walks, Students Celebrate Earth Day in Myriad Ways

Second-graders Emily Bauer, Joshua Adekolu, and Max Borelli show off their decorated brown bags for the Earth Day Groceries Project.
Hamden Hall students in myriad classes throughout all levels are helping to “Restore Our Earth,” the theme for Earth Day 2021, by participating in such activities as cutting back on plastic water bottles and decorating reusable grocery bags.

Hamden Hall students have long participated in Earth Day programming both on campus and off. Of course this year, with COVID restrictions in place, planning environmentally conscious learning projects has been challenging. Nonetheless, even the smallest of initiatives brings awareness of the meaning behind Earth Day, including Upper School teacher Jennifer Manley’s class activity.
 
Students in Mrs. Manley’s sophomore English class viewed David Attenborough’s documentary, A Life on this Planet, and then composed a collaborative earth day poem.
 
“I wanted my students to focus their attention on climate change and the importance of biodiversity, and since we’re wrapping up our unit on poetry, the idea for a collaborative poem came to mind. Each student will contribute a stanza based on their reactions and thoughts from the documentary,” explained Mrs. Manley. 
 
In the Middle School, the goal is to cut back on the number of plastic water bottles consumed each day at the Beckerman Athletic Center. According to Middle School Director Brian Christman, “students use 350 to 375 plastic water bottles per week.” 
 
“The idea is for us to cut down on waste, and the water bottles are unnecessary because of the two bottle filling stations we have at Beckerman. Our lunches this year have been amazing, but they use up a lot of materials such as bags, plastic containers, water bottles, etc. If we can cut down on waste and recycle as much as possible, we'll reduce our environmental impact,” said Mr. Christman.
 
Our second-graders continued a Hamden Hall tradition that enhances students’ environmental knowledge while employing their artistry skills for a community service project. After learning about our planet and ways to help sustain it, students decorated large paper bags that were supplied by Hamden Hall neighbor and friend Whitneyville Food Center, which is owned by Patrice Notarfrancesco PP 1991. The local market will distribute the bags to customers today.  
 
Click here (LSED) to read more on this story.
 

Impressive College Admittance for Senior Class

Members of the Class of 2021 have garnered admittance to some of the most impressive colleges and universities throughout the world. With the college admissions process just about concluded for most of the 77 members of our senior class, nearly 150 academic institutions have laid out the welcome mat for Hamden Hall students.
 
“The list of academic institutions that our seniors have garnered admittance to is most impressive, and I am so pleased for all of these young men and women who have worked so diligently over the years. We take great pride at Hamden Hall in establishing the foundation for our students to pursue higher education. And to have this year's seniors be admitted to the world's most prestigious and competitive colleges and universities is such a reward for all of us,” said Head of School Bob Izzo.
 
Click here (CL) to view a full-size rendering of the list of colleges.

In-School Science Fair Yields Impressive Results

Click here or above to view the Grade 4 Science Fair presentation video.
Where there is a hypothesis, there is a problem to be solved – and our Grade 4 science prodigies investigated their way to impressive end results with their recent science fair projects. 

An in-school science fair allowed students to showcase their efforts to one another after having worked independently during class time on their endeavors. Students were tasked with choosing a topic and researching it before trying to implement the various steps needed to create such things as balloon-powered cars and working lava lamps.

“Through trial and error, the students learned to problem-solve using critical thinking for their projects to be successful,” said Lower School science teacher Claire Rich.

Traditionally, the Hamden Hall Lower School hosts a science fair featuring the independent efforts of students in Grades 4 through 6. And while Grade 4 scientists presented their projects to one another in class, students in Grades 5 and 6 took to the airwaves with their presentations.

Science teacher Steve Jewett had his students embark on their experiments at home and then digitally present them via slideshow and embedded videos. Instead of the usual name of “Science Fair,” fifth- and sixth-graders took part in a “Science Flair,” according to Lower School Director Lorri Carroll.
 
Click here (LSSF) to read more on this story.
 

Middle/Upper School Students Attend Student Diversity Leadership Conference 

Middle and Upper School students attended a recent virtual Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Missing from the photo is Han Yan.
Nine Middle and Upper School students attended a recent virtual Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
 
"It was a great experience to meet with students from different schools and learn from them; we exchanged a lot of precious ideas of strengthening the diverse student community in our schools," said junior Geraldi Nie, a conference attendee.
 
The event, sponsored by the CAIS Commission on Diversity in Independent Schools, included such topics as diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. 

Hamden Hall attendees included Geraldi and fellow junior Elena Li; sophomores Julian Lord and Han Yan; eighth-graders Daniella Li and Kiran Menon; and seventh-graders Alma Goren-Eisenberg, Adam Mandelbaum, and Nico Razza-Baril. Also in attendance was Student Equity Advocate Krysi Crimley.

The conference was led by some of the leading diversity practitioners and educators across the state of Connecticut. Offerings included workshops, affinity groups, and ways to build community and connect.
 
"I have a much deeper interpretation and a clearer self-awareness of how to be a supportive ally - not just do it performatively or put a relatively small effort into the allyship - but be willing to take more risks to help. For example, spreading more informative posts on social media, instead of just posting an effortless 'hashtag,'" said Geraldi.  
 

Day of Silence Planned 

A Day of Silence is planned tomorrow, April 23, by 
Pride Alliance/GSA members to show solidarity with people whose voices have been subdued or silenced as a result of discrimination and harassment.
 
All students are welcome to participate, according to club advisor Patricia Dowcett, who will have stickers available Friday morning. The stickers (silently) announce the student's intention to refrain from speaking for the day. 
 
The GLSEN Day of Silence is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ students and allies all around the country - and the world - take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ people in schools.
 

In-Person Parent Paint Night Planned  

While we build community under the pines, we will also put brush to canvas at an upcoming in-person paint night event.

Painting Under the Pines is a special event for our current parents and guardians on Thursday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. The evening will feature painting, small bites, wine, and COVID-friendly socializing in our Taylor Gymnasium. 
Adult paint enthusiasts will try their hand at an acrylic painting on an 11x14 canvas. The design will be exclusive to Hamden Hall as created by art teacher Kristen Thornton. 
 
All art supplies will be provided meaning that attendees don’t need to bring anything – except their painting prowess! Lower School art teacher Susan Bennett 1973 will also be on hand to offer her guidance and expertise.
 
Tickets are $30 per person and include a special gift. Pre-registration is required and please note that this is an adults-only event, and COVID-friendly restrictions will be in place for the safety of all participants.
 
This event is hosted by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. Click here (PN) to RSVP by April 30. 
 

Pave the Way with School Spirit!

Support our students' overall dining experience through our Community Commons Brick Campaign. With pavers planned for the entryway and outdoor patio, you are invited to purchase personally engraved bricks.
 
Bricks are available to honor or memorialize loved ones, teachers, alumni classes, and more. Engrave a brick today!
 
Click here (BC) to purchase your personal brick or learn more about the expansion and remodel of our dining hall. If you would like to make a general donation to the Community Commons Campaign, please click here (CCC). Leadership gift-level recognition opportunities are also available.  

For more information or to inquire about payment plan options, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 203.752.2616.