BANCROFTBulletinBulletinSpring/Summer

2010Spring/Summer

2010

GreenPower

BANCROFT

BANCROFT SCHOOL

Director of Institutional AdvancementLiz Siladi

Editor-In-Chief / Director of Marketingand Communications

Matthew Barone

Editor / Assistant Director of AlumniRelations and Communications

Lynn St. Germain

Director of DevelopmentLaurie Bowater

Administrative AssistantsLydia Barter, Marjorie Orr

DesignLinda Dagnello

Editorial AssistantDeena S. Madnick

ContributorsRuss Campbell; Karen Fuller;

Joan Killough-Miller; Matt Robinson

Bancroft Bulletin is published biannuallyby Bancroft School, 110 Shore Drive,

Worcester, MA 01605-3198. Issues arepublished fall/winter and spring/summer

and mailed to all known alumni ofBancroft School as part of the benefit of

their having attended the School.Bancroft Bulletin provides a medium for

the exchange of views concerningBancroft School affairs; news about the

School and its alumni; and editorialcontent that relates to the shared and

diverse experiences and interests ofBancroft alumni.

On the Cover:Children in the Kindergarten gather to watch the

release of Monarch Butterflies in Fall 2009.Photo: Lynn St. Germain.

BANCROFT Bulletin | Spring/Summer 2010

Contents

2 News FeaturesGreg Mortenson... Earth Day...VolleyballWins... CommunityService Abroad... Latin StudentsTravel... StudioVisit

6 Educate � Act � Be>GREENBancroft looks to lead in asustainable and healthyenvironment

10 Amol Sharma ’96 useshis Bancroft LessonsCovering India as a reporter fortheWall Street Journal

12 Reunion 201028th Annual Alumni AwardRecipients

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Dear Bancroft Friends:

I had occasion recently to discuss with alumni the many changes that haveoccurred during the last eleven years that I have served as headmaster at Bancroft.Our school has evolved in ways too many to recount in this space. A more diversestudent body better reflects the ethnic diversity that characterizes our greaterWorcester community. With the building of the McDonough Center and theacquisition of 100 Shore Drive, our campus has expanded to serve better the needsof our students. Too, our educational program has expanded, particularly in thearea of technology. And our emphasis upon employing the techniques of “AllKinds of Minds” has led to an application of the most recent developmental

understanding of how children learn to our classrooms and pedagogy.In sum, by living our mission of creating a diverse community of good people who are life-long

learners, teachers of others, and global citizens, we are working also to create a sustainable future not onlyfor our students, but for our world.

Sustainability has become the watchword defining so many efforts in our School and in our broaderworld. From our Earth Day activities this past April that brought together our students and faculty,Grades K through 12, to concentrate on their role in preserving our environment, to our daily efforts inrecycling, the paper we choose (see back cover), gardening, maintenance, and the dining hall, we havetaken the lead to create a greener future.

But sustainability means more than care for the environment. In a broader sense, our school affordsnumerous travel opportunities for students to understand their world through travel around the globe:Turkey and Greece, Japan, France, China, and elsewhere. Our expanded community service effortsengage our students who come face-to-face with the challenges of creating a sustainable world. Bancroftstudents learn to live purposeful lives of commitment and compassion toward others—lives of serviceto others. Success in achieving these goals speaks to what sustainability means in its truest sense.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of the Bancroft Bulletin. As always, we welcome your feedbackand insights, and invite you to visit our beautiful campus on Shore Drive.

Scott R. ReisingerHeadmaster

Photos:R

ussCa

mpbell

Few individuals have the ability to inspire an entirecommunity, but that is exactly what renowned au-thor and humanitarian Greg Mortenson achieved

on his visit to Bancroft in April.Through riveting assemblies that detailed his courageous

journeys abroad, Mortenson captured the attentionof students,faculty, parents, and friends in a conversation of hope,optimism, and peace.

Speaking directly to the student body, Mortenson ex-plained the importance of education and the ways increas-ing literacy throughout the world would have the power toimpact everyone’s future. The world-traveler and humani-tarian knows something about diplomacy having spent thelast 15 years working in the remote regions of Pakistan andAfghanistan. Through persistence and respect of localcustoms, Mortenson has been able to convince some of themost hostile leaders in this region to embrace education—especially for girls. As executive director of the CentralAsia Institute (CAI), he has contributed to the construc-tion of 131 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, educating58,000 students including 44,000 girls.

“Today’s children are the force that will achievepeace,” said Mortenson. As he addressed the Middle andUpper School assembly Mortenson said, “I am thrilled tosee 100 percent of your hands go up. I’ll have to change mytalk and mention Bancroft School now because onaverage around the country only about 60 percent of studentsengage in community service.”

Much of Mortenson’s message is about empowerment.His goal is to build the schools, infuse them with the sup-plies and educational materials needed, then empower thelocal community members to run the schools. He told thestory of the AKA-rifle armed Taliban leaders who visited a

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school built by Mortenson’s group. Upon seeing the play-ground, they immediately dropped their weapons and threwthemselves on the swings. The CAI is now building aschool in their village that will include a playground.

Bancroft students in all divisions were familiar withMortenson’s story through the reading of his books, “ThreeCups of Tea,” and “Listen to the Wind” (the children’s ver-sion). This spring, Bancroft’s fourth grade students wereinspired to collect pennies for Mortenson’s Pennies for Peace,an organization established to give our children a way toactively participate in creating global peace. During a specialaddress to the Lower School, students presented Mortensonwith a check for $695.30, representing the 69,530 penniesthey raised to buy pencils and school supplies for the CAIschools.

“Mr. Mortenson sends a strong message to our commu-nity,” says Head of Lower School Jyoti Datta. “His emphasison individual involvement shows that even the youngestchild can make a difference to the world.”

“It was an honor for all of us to meet this remarkableman whose life’s work has been to promote peace throughunderstanding,” says Cultural Coordinator Hannah Hall-Alicandro who spent the last year planning for this visit. “Hecontinues to inspire us all to make the world a better place.”

Mortenson has called young women “the single biggestpotential agents of change in the developing world,” de-scribing this phenomenon as “the Girl Effect.” It echoes anAfrican proverb he often heard as a child growing up inTanzania, the son of teachers: “If you educate a boy, youeducate an individual; but if you educate a girl, you educatea community.”

www.ikat.orgwww.penniesforpeace.org

Peace andHope Begin

withEducation

Author of “Three Cups of Tea” speaks to Bancroft's community

NewsFeatures

3This year, Bancroft’s girlsVarsity Volleyball capturedtheir 11th straight Eastern

Independent League (EIL) Pool AChampionship with a victory overThe Governor’s Academy. As CoachGary Patch and the team say good-bye to eight senior players, it is abittersweet day for the three seniorcaptains who have been on the teamsince freshman year.

Seniors Megan Anderson,Gabrielle Trotter, and Clara Zinmanhave been playing together onBancroft Volleyball teams since sixthgrade, and attribute both their funda-mental skills and their love of thegame to the foundation created bytheir Middle School Coach RussEnlow. “He really loved the game andmade it so much fun to play,” saysZinman. Coach Patch continues thatdedication to the game with inten-sive practices and warm-ups, whilemaking the game fun.

The girls are modest in talkingabout their own achievements. Allthree are premiere players in both theEIL and in Club Leagues. Andersonand Zinman will play for Middleburyand Trinity respectively, and Trotter,who was named EIL Volleyball Playerof the Year for the third straight year,opted to go to the University ofPennsylvania where she plans totrain with the team over this summer.

As a team, Bancroft’s VarsityVolleyball has an amazing record of145 consecutive wins—setting an-other new state high school record.“It’s about the love of the game, notthe winning.” It is this sense of teamthat has contributed to their successand it’s the people and the traditionsthe girls will miss the most—thematching hair ribbons (started by aformer teammate and continued byAnderson who hopes another team-mate will continue it), Tacky Tues-days, and their “Ace” cheers.

Although they were sad to seethe season end, they are excitedabout moving on to college, playingwith a new team, and learning newtraditions.

What advice do they offer totheir teammates for next year? Trot-ter and Zinman agree that Andersonsays it best, “Don’t worry about therecord and the pressure of winning.Just play the best you can and playbecause you love to play volleyball.”

Earth Day Celebration

Students, faculty, administra-tors, and parents took part inan annual tradition to join

their peers from around the world incelebration of Earth Day on April22. All three divisions of the schoolparticipated in a number of activitiesincluding special assemblies, areaclean-up efforts, artistic stimulation,tours of local green facilities, andguided nature walks throughout thecampus woodlands.

The keynote speaker at a specialassembly was Caitlin Connelly, for-mer technical advisor to the UnitedNations and current green energyoutreach consultant for the city ofWorcester. She delivered a speechthat encouraged listeners to do moreand teach others to be green.

“Through outreach I am workingwith the city to empower its leader-ship and various neighborhoods tomake changes in the way we live inorder to help sustain our future.”

Bancroft has taken the lead insustainability efforts by incorporatingappropriate initiatives throughout theinstitution’s operation. The Environ-mental Club is very active on campushaving helped to organize this year’sEarth Day festivities along with sev-eral other school-wide programs.

Tiffany Soobitsky ’10, co-chairof the Environmental Club, feelsstrongly that each member of thecommunity has a responsibility to dotheir part to be green. “Together wecan make a huge difference,” saidSoobitsky. “There is no better feelingthan witnessing the entire campuscome together to share in this specialexperience.”

Volleyball Wins 145 Straight

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Can one 13-year old reallymake a difference inpeoples lives? That is what

eighth grader Neha Shankar won-dered when her father, a doctor,asked her to join him on his medicaltrip to the Dominican Republic. Sheshared the answer to her question atthe Middle School assembly as partof her eighth grade forum—“Yes!One person can make a difference.”

Neha agreed to join her father,a small group of medical personnel,and three other teenagers on theeight-day trip to the island with theJessica Ramey Catholic CharitableFoundation. They arrived in the cityof La Romana, each person carrying

suitcases loadedwith medical sup-plies, medicine,toys, shoes, andclothes, and then set off with threelocal people to open medical clinicsin the bateyes. Neha explains that abatey is a small, remote village nearthe sugar-cane fields, often with noplumbing, electricity, or sewer system.

Once villagers learned of aclinic, lines of people awaited treat-ment. Neha helped organize thepeople waiting, taking their bloodpressure and other relevant informa-tion. She told how the people theytreated were very poor, but veryappreciative. Throughout the week,

the group traveled to over 20 differ-ent bateyes providing medical clinics.

“It was a lot of fun,” explainsNeha. “The best part was meeting thepeople, they were all so friendly. Thehardest part was when we ran out ofclothes and toys for the children. Wewere only supposed to give them oneitem that they needed because weonly had what we could carry in oursuitcases. So when a child neededshoes and a shirt, it was hard to sayno—and sometimes we just couldn’t.”

News Features

Community Service Abroad

Turkish and Greek lessons captivated group

Exegi monumentum aere peren-nius. (I have built a monu-ment more lasting than bronze).

Over spring break Upper Schoolstudents from the Latin programpacked their language and history

textbooks bound for a 10-day immer-sion experience. Sixteen studentsfrom Karen Fuller’s Latin classes trav-elled to Turkey and Greece to witnessthe cultures, histories, and traditionsof these two ancient lands.

Andrew Hitzhusen ‘11 found thepeople of both nations incrediblyfriendly and focused. “What reallyimpressed me was their eye contact.I asked our guide in Turkey a questionand was completely unprepared for herintense eye contact.”

Students travelled to Istanbul,Troy, Pergamum, and Ephesus inTurkey. While in Greece at the closeof their adventure, students touredAthens, Delphi, and Cape Sounion.Fuller, who has escorted Bancroft stu-dents abroad in the past, found thisexperience to be “totally captivating.”

Hitzhusen had his most memo-rable moment at the Pergamum the-atre in Turkey, which is situated highin the mountains overlooking themodern city below. At the top of the

theatre on a perfectly clear day, theaccomplished performer was over-come by his surroundings. “I neededto test these acclaimed acoustics.Fresh from our spring musical, a num-ber of us performed our scenes im-promptu. Each word, expression, andbreath was perfectly clear. We lovedevery minute of this beautiful place.”

Bancroft has a long history of in-corporating travel abroad as part ofthe entire language experience. “Ourstudents begin studies in French dur-ing Grade 1 of their Lower Schoolprogram,” said Nicky Puccio, depart-ment head for foreign language. “Agroup of students from the MiddleSchool just returned from Arles,France where their studies in theclassroom were put to good use im-mersed within French households.

Travel abroad for our students isa critical component of the entireglobal language experience, whichwe are very proud to bring togethereach year.”

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The spring semester brought students in MaryEdwards’ Ceramics II course to a workingartist’s studio for a daylong workshop.

Located in Worcester, this old sprinkler factory hasbeen renovated into modern studio spaces for artists,including Edwards, a noted ceramicist. The factory is hometo glass blowers, jewelry designers, painters, and photogra-phers-to-collage artists who mix various materials.

At this professional studio, appropriately called “TheSprinkler Factory,” students were allowed access to theprocess of a working gas kiln that fires in a reductionatmosphere. At Bancroft, students are typically exposed toa mid-range level of glazing, called an oxidation atmos-phere, which produces fairly predictable results. Using agas kiln creates more interesting variations. Taking almost15 hours to process with constant monitoring to regulategas and oxygen levels, their projects were added to thekiln reaching temperatures of 2,300 – 2,400 degreesFahrenheit.

At certain scheduled points during the firing, Edwardsand fellow artist Barbara Wilson add a soda carbonatesolution that is sprayed into the kiln for special glazedeffects.

“I remember being a curious artist and not reallyunderstanding how they worked,” said Edwards. “I believean appreciation for the arts is important and it is myresponsibility to share these professional experiences andenvironments with these fresh minds. Students work hardto develop their creative inspirations, and I expect themto make mistakes just as a professional artist would. Youare expressing yourself uniquely and that’s what makes usindividuals.”

In addition to learning the operations of a gas kiln,students toured the entire facility, met with several artiststo discuss their works and the industry, and put finaltouches on their ceramic pieces that were on display atthe Upper School Art Show, May 20.

Hands-onceramics studio

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Featurephotos:LizSiladi

7In mid-March, there’s not much green to be seenin New England. Bancroft School is on vaca-tion—but physical plant director Peter McKoneis not. With the classrooms vacant, it’s a perfectopportunity to give the school a deep cleaning

and freshen up some areas with new carpeting or a freshcoat of paint. It’s hard to miss the ladders and machineryor the commotion as carpet is laid and floors are strippedand waxed. What’s easy to miss is what’s not there: toxiccleansers, carcinogenic compounds in the paints and car-pet adhesive, and energy-hogging light fixtures.

The National Association of Independent Schools’(NAIS) “Principles of Good Practice” encourage mem-bers schools to “incorporate environmental sustainabilityinto all aspects of their institutions, including curriculum;professional development; student and residential life;physical operations, procurement, construction, and ren-ovations; and dining services.” At Bancroft, those princi-ples are more than lofty goals or superficial gestures. Theyare deeply woven into every aspect of the institution’soperations.

For McKone—who holds a degree in environmentalstudies from Clark University as well as a construction su-pervisor’s license—sustainability means maintaininghealth. “That includes the health of the children, of theemployees and visitors, the health of the environment,and the economic health of the school,” he states. Tothat end, he scrutinizes every corner of the campus tofind new ways to enhance safety, eliminate waste, andlessen environmental impact. Some of his best successesare invisible—and that’s a good thing.

“The two most vulnerable groups of people here oncampus are young kids—because of the size of their bod-ies, they’re more susceptible to chemicals—and the em-ployees who are using chemical products day in and dayout,” he explains. That’s why indoor air quality is such abig priority for him. “The first thing I did was educatemyself about green cleaning processes.” He and his staff

now use only certified green products, purchased in con-centrated form and mixed using a metered system.At Bancroft, green initiatives can be as small as a super-efficient light bulb—or as large as the regional electricgrid. Tucked away in the utility room of the McDonoughCenter, a specialized web server hums along, monitoringthe school’s electrical usage as part of an ISO New Eng-land demand-response program run by EnerNOC, aBoston-based energy company.

“It’s like a thermostat on steroids,” McKone remarks,as he watches the screen readout. The programmable sys-tem allows him to fine-tune heat and air conditioning foreach zone, day and night. During the summer, he canpower down unoccupied areas and make that capacityavailable to other parts of the New England power grid.“We receive payment for that availability,” he says, “andthe detailed monitoring of our usage has helped us reduceour consumption. We’re still making adjustments to drivethat down even further.” The aim of the EnerNOC pro-gram is to avoid brownouts in the region, while reducingthe need to build additional power plants.

Educate � Act � Be > GREENBancroft looks to lead educational institutions in

maintaining a sustainable and healthy environment

By Joan Killough-Miller

continued on page 8

Students inspect a piece of wood from a local tree that was infested by Asian long-horned beetles.

When students return in the fall of 2010, they will begreeted by photovoltaic panels covering the roof of theMcDonough Center. The 125 kW system will supply aquarter of the electricity needed for the McDonough andFuller buildings, which amounts to about 10 percent ofthe school’s total usage. Richard Chase, a former Bancroftparent and director of sales, marketing, and IT at FutureSolar, is assisting on the project. Future Solar developscreative solutions for schools and other tax-exempt or-ganizations that can’t take advantage of tax incentives foralternative energy. The contract also includes a smallstand-alone photovoltaic system that can be used as ateaching tool.

From corn-based compostable plastic cups for thesports teams, to organic locally grown produce in thecafeteria, and even some school-grown herbs and vegeta-bles, Bancroft has a lot to be proud of. The kitchen com-posts scraps to fertilize ornamental plantings, and all newplantings are native species.

It’s all part of a global realization that what happensat Bancroft doesn’t stay at Bancroft. McKone will not re-sort to pesticides or chemical fertilizers, even for the play-ing fields, which have to stand up to hard usage.

“Everything you put down ends up in Indian Lake,”he observes. As chair of the Worcester ConservationCommission and a member of the Indian Lake WatershedAssociation, he’s trying to encourage Bancroft’s ShoreDrive neighbors to coordinate our green efforts collec-tively. He also shares his knowledge with other schoolsthrough online forums, and he has been a speaker forlocal business operators.

In April, when students returned from their break,the Environmental Club went into full gear, finalizingplans for Earth Day, with their advisor, science teacherBrian Kondek. This year, the program expanded well be-yond the campus, with guided nature walks in the sur-rounding woodlands and lake area. Older students wentfurther off campus, for tours of WPI’s new super-greenEast Hall dormitory, and local pollution-control facilities.The activities chosen for each grade were designed to tiedirectly into the curriculum. For example, fifth graderswent on a bird walk, which related to their play, “A Murder

of Crows.” Eighth graders brought theknowledge gained through the ever-popular “sludge lab” along on a tour ofa state-of-the-art recycling plant.

The experts brought in for EarthDay included Bancroft parents andalumni who are working in environ-mental fields. In addition, CaitlinConnelly, delivered the keynote ad-dress on behalf of John Odell, who is

manager, energy efficiency, and conservation manager forthe city of Worcester. Connelly, a former technical advi-sor to UN environmental programs, now serves as aGreen Energy Outreach Consultant for the city’s “Energyfor a Greener Tomorrow” program. She noted that Ban-croft students can play a key role in driving the demandfor green energy services and products. She was proud tohave alumnus Curtis Reid ’06, an intern in her program,present his work to Bancroft students on Earth Day. “Ithink this was empowering for both Curtis and the stu-dents,” she said. “It shows that we can all make a differ-ence, especially Bancroft graduates.”

Odell said, “Bancroft School is ahead of the curvewith its work to promote sustainability from within. Itslist of sustainability actions is quite impressive and placesthe school in a solid position to champion the cause. It ispoised to lead the way for other schools, both public andprivate, on sustainability. I look forward to working withthe Bancroft School administration to share their storythroughout the community and beyond.”

The Environmental Club works throughout theschool year to motivate their peers to become more envi-ronmentally responsible. The Green Cup Challenge—anationwide competition among independent schools tolower energy usage during the month of February—brought measurable results. Club members created and

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continued from page 7

Physical plant director Peter McKone plants peas on campus grounds.

(L) US and LS students collaborate on Earth Day.(R) Environmental Club advisor Brian Kondek chatswith member Bonnie Lindner '10.

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posted brightly colored signs beside each light switch, re-minding students and teachers to “Pitch in—Switch off.”

“All these initiatives—even the slogan—werethought up, and designed, and executed by the kids,” saysclub advisor and science teacher Brian Kondek. “I justhelp them find ways to execute the plan. Many highschool kids have the idea that they are very limited inwhat they can do, but these kids feel very empowered.”He adds, “Since those little signs went up, I am about tenthousand times more conscious about turning off lights.”

During the Green Cup Challenge, Bancroft reducedits electrical consumption by 6,372 kilowatts and reducedCO2 emissions by 8,538 lbs—not an easy feat, given theenergy-conserving measures that were already in place.Collectively, participating schools shaved 1,254 kW fromtheir electric bills, and eliminated 1,680,000 lbs of CO2emissions—the equivalent of taking 162 cars off the road,planting 764 trees, or changing 30,000 incandescent bulbsto CFLs, according the official website,www.greencupchallenge.net.

“At first some people were resistant,” says club co-leader Johanna Okerlund ’10 of the Green Cup campaign.“They’d make jokes and say, ‘It’s just a light bulb. It’s notgoing to make a difference.’ But this year we lowered ourmeter readings by 5.9 percent. That’s a really good num-ber. It gets people excited about the fact that they canmake a difference with such simple actions. I think if the

club is energetic enough, and we show that we care, andwhy they should care—that makes a difference.”

Early on, the club sat down with McKone to learnwhat Bancroft is already doing to become more sustain-able and how they could reinforce those efforts. They’vetaken on battery and ink cartridge recycling efforts,which are open to Bancroft students and their families.They’ve also taken responsibility for educating the cam-pus to make the cafeteria’s recycling program work, by of-fering instruction at assemblies and even stationingthemselves in the cafeteria to help everyone get thingsinto the right buckets.

“Our goal is to give our students the scientific intelli-gence to understand the issues that will affect them downthe line,” says Kondek. “I know they’re not all going tobecome scientists or environmental engineers, but maybethey can write a letter to their congressman—or evenbecome one!”

Environmental Club member Malavika Mehta sumsit up this way: “I think for the coming generations, it’snot whether you can or can’t create change—it’s a matterof having to. It’s a necessity. We have to address the envi-ronment, by nurturing better habits in ourselves and in-corporating them into our families and lifestyles.”

Joan Killough-Miller is a writer at Worcester PolytechnicInstitute and a Bancroft parent.

Students were asked to dip buckets into Indian Lake in order to collect and identify organisms present.

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As one of six reporters who cover India forThe Wall Street Journal, Amol Sharmahas been writing about a variety of busi-ness-related topics, including the econ-

omy and politics, since 2009.“So far it has been terrific,” Sharma smiles. “I’m get-

ting to meet the people who are shaping one of the greatstories of our time—the rise of India!”

From the halls of Delhi’s ministries to the boardroomsof Mumbai, Sharma says, “there’s a feeling that this countryis slowly but surely taking its place as a giant on the worldstage.” And just as millions of Indians “move up the lad-der” in their lives, so too is Sharma moving up among theranks for the Journal’s award-winning team of journalists.Having graduated from Bancroft in 1996, Sharma went onto Tufts University, where he studied political science.After about a year at a New York Internet consulting firm,

Sharma decided to “plunge into journalism” and moved toWashington, D.C. “I had worked on the college paper,” headmits, “but didn’t have a lot of experience.” However,armed with the dedication and drive that had helped seehim through 12 years at Bancroft, Sharma persevered andlanded a coveted internship with CNN. While there, hebegan writing freelance for various publications, includingThe National Journal and an ethnic paper called IndiaAbroad and eventually at Congressional Quarterly as aresearcher and reporter.

In 2002, Sharma was awarded a Fulbright Scholarshipthat took him to his ancestral homeland of India wherehe filed stories for a number of domestic publicationsincluding The San Francisco Chronicle, Far Eastern Eco-nomic Review, and Christian Science Monitor. “I wroteabout economic development, immigration, technology,and many other issues,” Sharma recalls.

Every day, Bancroft graduates make

headlines in all sorts of fields.

Yet few of them actually get to

write them. Amol Sharma is one such

special Bancroft alumnus.

SPECIAL REPORT…ER

AMOL SHARMA TAKES HIS BANCROFT LESSONSTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD!

By Matt Robinson

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When he returned to the United States, Sharma alsoreturned to CQ to be a full-time Capitol Hill reporterspecializing in technology.

“Covering Congress was an amazing experience,” hesays. “It was the perfect training ground for thinking bigand learning to wrap your head around complex issues.”

Speaking of complex issues, he was soon hired awayfrom CQ by The Journal, where he began his career as atechnology reporter in the paper’s New York headquarters.Four years later, it was back to India, this time to stay.

These days, Sharma focuses his reporter’s eye on themany global brands that are “pursuing the growing…markethere with ever-increasing intensity.” Sharma cannot helpbut notice that, while many in India are advancing, manymore are stuck in a rut.

“All the heady growth numbers and optimism can’tmask the challenges that are right in front of you everyday,” he observes, noting that a full one-third of the popula-tion lives in poverty and is unable to afford basic necessitiesof life without huge government subsidies. He also notes how“rampant corruption” has given unscrupulous politicians theability to “slow important national projects for their ownpersonal gain.”

When asked whether he considered his own personalgain when he started his journalistic life, Sharma says thathis career change came more from a desire to interact withother people in a meaningful way. “I enjoy meeting newpeople and asking them tons of questions about what they

do, where they’re from, how they think,” he says. “I lovejumping into a new subject …and racing to get up to speedon it so I can ask my subjects probing, smart questions.”

In his five-plus years as a professional journalist,Sharma has covered stories on such diverse topics as globalwater conflicts, hot air ballooning and telecom regulations.And while he has enjoyed and been enriched by such var-ied experiences, Sharma admits that there is a “trade-off”involved. “It’s very hard to become an expert on anything,”he says. “but you learn to be conversant in a lot of areas,and I really like that!”

As he is still able to keep an eye on local and globalpolitics, Sharma has gained a great deal without giving upmuch. As a journalist, he has also been able not only toreport on what is going on but also its impact. “I like theidea of writing a sober, well-crafted, well-researched piecethat influences the debate,” he says. “Hopefully, some of thework I’ve done over the year has influenced some…in thehalls of power.”

Speaking of influences, Sharma credits his eleventh-grade AP English teacher, Mrs. Ulbrich, with influencinghis writing style and his desire to pursue and perfect it. “Shetook an interest in my work and exposed me to the beautyof the craft when done with care,” he says, admitting thathe came to writing “a bit late.”

“Until then, I was convinced I would be a math andscience guy for life,” he says, recalling his beloved calculusand biology teachers Mr. Barrow and Mrs. Pearson and Mrs.Carlson. “I figured I would end up becoming a doctor.”

In pursuit of this early dream, Sharma got up very early(4:30 a.m.!) during his junior-senior summer in order to goon rounds with a cardiothoracic surgeon at UMass MedicalCenter.

“The last thing I imagined was that I would end upbecoming a professional writer,” he says. “It wasn’t even onthe radar!”

Yet, as all Bancroft students know, life has a way oftaking unexpected turns. “There’s a temptation,” Sharmaadvises, “starting in high school and intensifying in college,to simplify your choices to a few seemingly ‘safe’ categories.Don’t. Be open to all kinds of potential career paths andyou’re more likely to find the one that’s a good fit. It mighttake some trial and error, but that’s okay.”

Fortunately, as all Bancroft students are, Sharma wasprepared to make the most of new opportunities. He evencredits his senior year English teacher, Mrs. Tsang, withadvising him as to how to handle deadlines (a skill thatcontinues to serve him well everyday).

“I learned I could go through this process, suffer themoments of despair and emerge victorious,” he says. “Iwasn’t a very good writer…but I think I was getting thebuilding blocks.”

Years later, Sharma continues to build with and onthose blocks, just as his sisters Dr. Sheena Sharma ’89 andAttorney Sherri Sharma ’94 did. “It was great to be part ofthe Sharma family dynasty,” Sharma laughs. “My oldest sis-ter Sheena graduated when I was in Grade 5, so we didn’toverlap much, but some of my earliest and best memories ofBancroft are from the days when she used to drive us toschool…My other sister, Sherri, was two grades ahead of meand was an academic superstar…so that was a bit dauntingto live up to, but I did my best.”

Apparently, Sharma’s “best” has been pretty good indeed!

Matt Robinson is an educator and journalist in Boston, MA

Photos: (Opposite page (L)) Sharma is visiting a slum in Lucknow, India where manyresidents make a living creating drums. (Opposite page (R)) Reporting from Kutch,India, Sharma is investigating a story that explores how India is relying on Chineseworkers for infrastructure expertise. (Image page 11) Sharma is working in Hardoi,India reporting on poor Indian families struggling to afford food costs.

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Agnes E. KullThe RobertW. Stoddard ’23 Award forOutstanding Community Service

Agnes Kull has been a distinguished fixture in theCentral Massachusetts non-profit and businesscommunity for more than 30 years. Ms. Kull is Chairmanof the Board of Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Bitsoli,PC, the oldest and largest independent accounting firmin Worcester. She has more than 30 years of experiencein public accounting with a specialization in estateplanning and she leads the firm by example in supportingthe community with philanthropy and service, whileencouraging clients to do the same. She was the firstwoman Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of PublicAccountancy, the governing body of the CPA profession,where she served as a volunteer for ten years.

Ms. Kull was the 1996 recipient of the Katharine F.Erskine Award for Business/Law, an annual award fromthe YWCA of Central Massachusetts to womenwhose accomplishments have helped improve thecommunity, especially for women and girls. She hasalso served a number of Worcester non-profits forseveral decades. She currently serves as Treasurer,Executive Committee member, and Board member ofBancroft School, Worcester Regional Research Bureau,and Music Worcester, Inc. She is a Trustee Emeritus ofWorcester Art Museum, having served as Treasurer,Executive Committee member, and Trustee for nineyears. She is also a past Treasurer and Board memberof YWCA of Central Massachusetts, United Way ofCentral Massachusetts, UMASS Memorial Foundation,and Memorial Hospital, a past investment committeemember of Greater Worcester Community Foundationand a past Board member of American Cancer Society.

An immigrant to the United States in 1952, and aresident of Worcester since 1972, Agnes Kull delightsin having made this community her home and that ofher children, Karin and Tara, and grandchildren, Sabrinaand Ross, both current Bancroft students.

Kendall L. Kennison ’85The Esther Forbes (1907) Award forDistinguished Professional Achievement

Kendall Kennison is a musician and composerof more than three dozen solo, chamber, orchestral,choral, solo vocal works, and one short opera. Hismusic has been heard in concerts throughout theeastern and mid-western United States and hispiano music has also been featured in recital programs in Venice and Naples,Italy; Moscow, Russia; and Zagreb, Croatia. Since 1998, he has taught alllevels of music theory and composition at Goucher College in Baltimore,Maryland where he is currently an Associate Professor and Chair of theMusic Department.

Numerous performers and ensembles have requested pieces from himand he enjoys composing music that has been inspired by literature or visualarts, which has led to several collaborations with other artists. In addition tohis teaching duties at Goucher, he also coordinates the Ars Viva concertseries, which has brought guest artists to Goucher from Russia, Italy, Germany,Austria, India and all around the United States.

After graduating from Bancroft in 1985, Kendall attendedVassar Collegewhere he earned an A.B. degree in music in1989. An M.A. degree in musictheory and composition from Rutgers University followed in 1992. He thenstudied and served as a teaching fellow and teaching associate at thePeabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University where he received aD.M.A. in composition in 1996. Kendall lives in Baltimore with his wife,Debbie, and their three children.

Jennie E. Howland ’90TheYoung Alumni Achievement Award

As a student at Brown University, JennieHowland thought she wanted to be a wildlifeveterinarian. A trip to Tanzania in 1993, and thepoor medical conditions she found there, inspiredher to change her focus to helping the underserved.In 2003, while a student at UMASS Medical School,she founded the Malaika Project, a multi-disciplinary community-based effortin Nyamuswa,Tanzania. Working in partnership with local people, aninternational collaboration of volunteers help to improve living conditionsfrom the ground up to reduce mortality, improve literacy and help the localeconomy. Jennie thinks of Tanzania as her second home, and she tries toreturn annually as ongoing Coordinator of the Malaika Project.

As a primary care physician for Hilltown Community Health Centersin Worthington, MA, Jennie focuses on transformational medical practiceswhile caring for an underserved rural population with limited access tospecialists. She leads the Patient Center Medical Home transition forHilltown, part of a 14-site statewide pilot project to empower patients tohelp improve their quality of care. She is implementing electronic medicalrecords for three regional health centers and she is passionate about out-reach for elders and expanding services for those with the least accessibility.

A graduate of Bancroft (1990), Brown University (BA in biology, 1993),Boston University School of Public Health (MPH, 1998), and UMASS MedicalSchool (MD, 2004), Jennie is also an outdoor enthusiast who has hiked theAppalachian Trail. She lives in Westhampton, MA with her husband, Justin,and their dogs.

Visit a photo gallery of the entire weekend’s festivities on our web site at: www.bancroftschool.org/reunion.

AlumniAt the 28th Annual Alumni Awards dinner in May,Bancroft’s Alumni Association presented the followingindividuals with distinguished awards as part of the2010 Reunion weekend celebration.

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AlumniFrancis H. “Chuck” Dewey III ’36March 12, 2010 in Worcester, MA at 91

Francis H. Dewey III, known as Chuck, was adistinguished member of Bancroft’s communityfor over 80 years as a student, parent,grandparent, and trustee.

After graduating from Bancroft’s 8th grade,Mr. Dewey went on to graduate fromDeerfield Academy and Williams College.He served as a Captain in the US Air Forceduring World War II, from 1942-1946. Hereturned to Worcester and had a distin-guished career as president of MechanicsNational Bank (the fourth consecutive F. H.Dewey to do so), and vice president andtreasurer of Williams College from 1973–1980. In recent years, he served as chair ofthe George I. Alden Trust.

Mr. Dewey was an active member of theWorcester community, serving on severalboards including Bancroft School, ClarkUniversity, Memorial Hospital, and AmericanRed Cross. He was predeceased by his wifeFrances Smith Dewey and is survived by hisfour children, Nancy Dewey ’70, MorganDewey ’73, David Dewey ’76, and StephenDewey and their families; and his siblingsHenry Dewey ’42, Dorothy Dewey Gilman ’39,and Elizabeth Dewey Marangoni ’31 andtheir families.

Virginia MacFarland Dalrymple ’38December 21, 2009 in Sun City Center, FL at 89

Mrs. Dalrymple graduated from Bancroft andthen Wellesley College where she was amember of the Durant Society. She had a lifelong interest in literature. She and her husbandEugene lived in Port Clyde, Maine and spenttime at their cottage in Marshall Point, win-tering in Florida and sailing in the Caribbean.She leaves her husband and children.

Martha Prouty DeNormandie ’39February 25, 2010 in Lincoln, MA at 87

President of the Class for her junior andsenior year, Mrs. DeNormandie graduatedfrom Bancroft and then Wheelock College.She lived most of her life in Lincoln, MAwhere she raised her family and was active inthe community. She was predeceased by herhusband, Senator James DeNormandie, andher son Newton. She leaves six children andtheir families.

Georgia Pierpont Foster ’57December 23, 2009 in Naples, FL at 69

Mrs. Foster attended Bancroft from 1948–1955 when she left to attend The MastersSchool in NY and then Smith College beforemarrying Torrey Foster. She received herB.A. from Washington University in St.Louis, MO. Mrs. Foster was appointed VicePresident of Key Bank in Ohio, and thenstarted private banking for Key Bank inFlorida upon moving to Naples in 1995. Sheretired from banking in 2005. Mrs. Fosterwas very active in the volunteer communitieswhere she lived, and held director, officer,and leadership positions in many nonprofitorganizations. In 2007, she was honored withthe Woman of Achievement Award forCollier County, FL. Mrs. Foster leaves herhusband and children and their families, aswell as her mother, Georgia Pierpont, andsiblings Virginia Pierpont Marriner ’60, LuliePierpont Eide ’67, Richard Pierpont ’62, andTom Pierpont ’76.

Michael Rubin ’67September 23, 2009 in Uxbridge, MA at 59

Dr. Rubin attended Bancroft until 1963 thengraduated from New Hampton School inNH, before graduating from Worcester StateCollege (B.S.), Anna Maria College (M.A.),and receiving his doctorate in Psychologyfrom Antioch New England Graduate School.He worked for several years as a licensedpsychologist before becoming Director ofPsychiatric Emergency Services in theBlackstone Valley area. There he was instru-mental in developing an Urgent Care Modelfor providing mental health services forpatients of primary care physicians unable tofind adequate responses of the mental healthneeds of their patients. Dr. Rubin leaves hiswife and children.

Catherine Driscoll Fuller ’71January 13, 2010 in Millbury, MA at 56

Mrs. Fuller graduated from Bancroft andSyracuse University. She then lived inMadrid, Spain where she studied Spanishliterature before marrying Curtis Fuller andtouring the world with him as he performedin international jazz concerts. In 1984, theyreturned to Massachusetts where shetransferred into the education field, workingfor Assumption College and the Worcester

In Memoriam

public schools, helping ELL students attaintheir college dreams. She leaves her husbandand three children, Paul, Anthony, and MaryFuller ’01, as well as several brothers andsisters including Mary Driscoll ’72, ElisabethDriscoll Mendelsohn ’73, and EileenDriscoll-Norman ’75.

Bronson Fargo ’75January 15, 2010 in Happisburgh, England at 52

Mr. Fargo graduated from Bancroft Schooland then Williams College where he waspresident of the student government and anavid rugby player. After college, he heldvarious positions in companies around theworld, including general manager in Africafor Farrell Lines, Inc., assistant vice presidentfor Equator Bank, Ltd. in Lagos, Nigeria, andhis most recent position as sales manager ofACIS Company, for which he traveledextensively to New Zealand, Scotland,Poland, and the US. He lived in Happisburgh,England in his home that overlooked theNorth Coast where he became chairman ofthe Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Healso served on the Board of Overseers of theJoslin Diabetes Center in Boston, MA andwas a trustee of the Hart Foundation.

Mr. Fargo was a dedicated Bancroft volunteerand long-time member of the AlumniCouncil.

He was predeceased by his father Bronson H.Fargo and his brother Robert Fargo ’77. He issurvived by his wife and four children, hismother Barbara Fargo, and his brotherMatthew Fargo ’79 and family.

Extended CommunityCynthia DalyJanuary 30, 2010 in Bedford, MA at 53

Mrs. Daly taught math in Bancroft’s MiddleSchool from 1988 to 1995. She earned herB. A. in education from Skidmore College,and had most recently worked for theBedford, MA school system. Mrs. Daly was amember of the Coalition of Bedford Youthand a member of the St. Elizabeth SetonChurch parish council. She leaves her husbandand three sons.

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Window on Bancroft

1 MS student rises in the stands during aBancroft basketball game.

2 Seniors gather with their Grade 1 peersin the LS Technology room as they workon the Book Project.

3 Students act out on The Green during awarm spring day.

4 Grade 2 teacher Bob Beliveau workswith two of his students on a story quilt.

5 A group of LS students walk back to classafter spending time at the Prouty Library.

6 Seniors relax on The Green with music.

7 Grade 9 physics students conduct anexperiment during a lab session.

8 Grade 9 trio performed at the Playathon.

9 Maureen Cabral's Kindergarten celebratesthe letter "M" during a 'Magnificent Munch'.

10 Coach Ryan Belanger leads his JVbasketball team during the Bulldog Bedlam.

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Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PPAAIIDDN. Reading, MAPermit No. 193

110 Shore DriveWorcester, MA 01605-3198

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

6 treespreserved forthe future

17 lbswater-bornewaste notcreated

2,539 galwastewaterflow saved

281 lbs solidwaste notgenerated

553 lbs netgreenhousegasesprevented

4,234,020BTUs energynot consumed

Environmental Savings for the Spring/Summer 2010 BulletinHow much paper didwe use?

2,372 lbs

What is the postconsumerrecycled percentage?

30 %

Is it coated oruncoated?

uncoated

coated