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The unseasonably hot, humid and hazy days were not enough to bring down the
energy and excitement of the 2005 Alumni Weekend which took place on June
10th 11th and 12th. As with previous reunions, alumni returned to reunite
with friends, visit the campus and hear current school news. However, this
year, more-so than others, the alumni returned with one main objective: to
celebrate!
(continued)
According to a study conducted by The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS),
59% of boarding school students describe their schools as having a diverse
racial student body; 60% of respondents applied primarily for a better
education; and 86% of students reported having an excellent family life.
These statistics contravene the stereotypes long associated with a boarding
school student body. Director of Admissions Tommy Adams, Associate Director
of Admissions Shannon Mercier and faculty member, John Alter presented a
panel to Alumni Weekend guests that discussed the above statistics and the
Gunnery student body.
"15% of our student body (38 students) come from 14 different countries,"
reported Tommy. Seven kids from Germany will attend next year. "It is
our goal," he continued, "to have 10% of our students be students of color.
Right now, we are at 8%." Tommy also noted that the day student population
has risen to 85. The Admissions Committee plans to increase the size of
the boarding population, although they can't exceed a total enrollment of 290.
Despite increased travel, extensive marketing campaigns and word-of-mouth
recommendations by Admissions from one-on-one visits, one message isn't truly
felt until the prospective student sets foot on the campus. "Families have
commented," said Shannon, "on the sense of community they see and feel when
they visit here. That sense of community is very important to the school.
It draws people from all walks of life and backgrounds with one thing in
common—they want to be here."
Alumni marched in a piped procession to the Meeting House on the Green for
the yearly Alumni Association Meeting. Annually The Gunnery takes this
opportunity to recognize those whose service and/or contributions to the
school have been especially meaningful.
(continued)
"Our music has a jazz / funk sound," said James Walsh '04, lead vocalist /
rhythm guitarist for the musical group Sabrosa. Comprised of mostly Gunnery
alums, the band provided entertainment at the Saturday evening clambake for
the Alumni Weekend crowd. The members of Sabrosa (which means "tasty" in
Spanish) have been featured on ESPN's morning show Cold Pizza and were
finalists in AOL's First Break Competition. The band has embarked on a
summer 2005 tour to promote their upcoming album. "Our concentration is
really on the music itself," said James. "We perform cover songs as well
as our own material."
"We all come together as a group," said lead guitarist, Lane Goldberg '03,
"and collaborate on both lyrics and music." Other members of the group
include Brandon Flesser '02 (head percussionist), Chad Taylor '03 (drums)
and Julian Rosenberg (bass guitar).
Although the same Knickerbocker rules (now more than 300 of them) govern
baseball today, "You don't play it like the baseball of today," said Jim
Wigren of the Waterbury Connors, a vintage 19th Century Baseball team, "but
it's still the same game." Defense is key, bats are longer, gloves are not
used, and there is a premium on speed. Unlike older games from which baseball
derived, the players do not put the runners out by throwing the ball at them.
On the other hand, a batter is out on a fly ball which bounces once before
being caught. The most difficult rule for 21st century players: "You can't
overrun first base in this game," Jim said. "This is much more of a
thinking game."
After seeing an advertisement in the newspaper for vintage baseball players,
Jim and several other men formed a team in Middletown, CT utilizing 19th
century rules. Eventually, Jim became a manager of the team which was the
first of its kind in the New England area.
It was always said by the faculty, administration and students alike, then
and now, that we had a special class with excellent college placements,
extraordinary athletic talent and extreme social spirit. The returning
alumni, totaling nearly half of our class, were a tribute to the bonds we
shared and our gratitude to The Gunnery for an exceptional educational
experience.
(continued)
When encouraging fellow classmates to return to campus, class agent Stephen
Garvan '70 relies on a core set of communication tools. "I use different
tools for different applications," he said. "The telephone is the most
personal, but the tools will differ depending on who you are communicating
with." Steve brings to the class agent community a career in mass media
communication that spans over thirty years.
(continued)
The Gunnery Parent Auction is back!!!
» Friday, October 21, 2005
» Gunnery Parents' Weekend
More information to follow soon!!
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On The Go is produced by the Alumni & Development Office. Todd
Santa Maria is our editor. Please feel free to email or call Todd at (860) 868-7334 ext.275.
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Alumni Weekend this year featured a participatory baseball game following
19th century rules. What are some of the differences in how the game is played?
» Answer.
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Jennifer Zito '80
Litigator
Law Offices of Jennifer L. Zito
When speaking of beginning her career as a Connecticut-based litigator, Jennifer
Zito '80 vividly remembers being the only female in the courtroom. One judge,
in particular, would call her "honey" as he motioned her to the bench. The
situation was worse for female attorneys who wanted to start families. That
situation is not yet fully resolved, but times are changing with the ever-increasing
presence of women in the courtroom as both lawyers and judges. However, this was
not Jennifer's first time as a female trailblazer.
A minister's daughter from Watertown, CT, Jennifer spent a year at Watertown
High School before coming to The Gunnery in the late 70s. She would have
attended for her freshman year...
(continued)
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The July On The Go was dedicated to getting your feedback.
While the response thus far has been tremendous, we would like to
hear from everyone. Therefore, if you have not had a chance to take the survey, please
click here and give us your valuable insight. Thank you!
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Major Stephen Reich, USA, son of Physics teacher Ray Reich and his wife
Susan, was killed in the vicinity of Asadabad in the mountains of eastern
Afghanistan. A graduate of West Point and an Army Special Forces officer,
Stephen was on a rescue extraction mission when his Chinook Helicopter was
shot down and all aboard were killed. Within the last six months, he rose
to the rank of major and was a company commander in the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment. Stephen is survived by his wife, Jill, and two sisters, Megan
and Anne-Marie. A memorial service took place on Sunday, July 10th at Bryan
Town Hall in Washington, CT and was followed by Stephen's funeral where he was
buried with military honors
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