Gordon in the headlines

Yes, that is Violet Abedon Pollock ’23 named to Jamaica’s national lacrosse team for women under twenty. This year Violet will play in a number of international tournaments for the team and she looks forward to competing in the 2026 PanAmerican games and in the next World Cup in Tokyo in 2026.
 

Yes, that is Gordon parent Sarah Verardo with a show of new paintings opening at the Providence Art Club on Sunday. Verardo’s stunning hyper-realistic paintings have to be seen in person to be believed.
 

Yes, that was alumni parent Fred Unger using his voice at today’s rally at Senator Jack Reed’s office in Kennedy Plaza. The Providence Journal’s coverage quoted Fred, who is known to many in the Gordon family as the spouse of longtime science teacher Jacqui Ketner and the father of Coby Unger ‘05 and Alex Unger ‘03.
 

Yes, that was Alex Best '13, pictured here in seventh grade, co-authoring the paper Modeling the Depolymerization of Plastics in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering. It’s a technical article with the very down-to-earth aim of making plastics that can be recycled more efficiently. 

 

Yes, that is Middle School parent Sharon Morris being honored with Juneteenth RI’s Visionary Leadership Award. Morris is a community leader and affordable housing advocate who has volunteered her time on several occasions to share her expertise with seventh graders as they develop their spring research papers.
 

Yes, that is playwright and alumni parent Deborah Salem Smith with just a few of the many Gordon faces at tonight’s performance of her newest work at Trinity Rep, where she is playwright in residence. Someone Will Remember Us weaves together the real-life testimonies of U.S. military veterans, a Gold Star family, Iraqi civilians, and refugees living in Rhode Island, a perfect show for a Gordon audience that values seeing multiple perspectives in every story.
 

Yes, that was Elise Kurtis ’21, Isabelle Cummings ‘21 and Grace MacLean ’21 featured in New England Lacrosse Journal’s recent feature (download a pdf) on Moses Brown’s prospects for the spring season. Moses Brown has won eight of the last nine Division 1 championships in Rhode Island – including the last two – with teams full of former Gordon players, but, according to NELJ, “it could be taking the field with its best team ever this spring.”  
 

Yes, that is friend of Gordon Harriet White-Holder named Rhode Island Woman of the Year by GoLocalProv. Holder first connected with Gordon in 2017, when her organization Higher Ground, hosted students as part of Gordon’s eighth grade service learning program.
 

Yes, that is Sarah Fraza ‘06 working overtime in Los Angeles supporting communities impacted by the ongoing fires. Sarah spent several years working as a firefighter in the LA region, and now works as Regional Manager for LA, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties for School on Wheels, a nonprofit serving students in Kindergarten to twelfth grade who are experiencing homelessness. 

Yes, that was Josiah Nyahkoon ’23 in the running for Sports Illustrated’s top sophomore football player of 2024. As of late January, the Classical defensive back was second out of fourteen nominees.
 

Yes, that was fourteen Gordon Middle School students at Saturday’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion conference hosted by the Association of Independent Schools in New England at Regis College in Weston. These students chose to spend their Saturday immersed in learning that included dance, art, performance, writing workshops and discussions exploring topics ranging from Islamaphobia, dyslexia and definitions of masculinity to “Being an Up-Stander in the Sports World” and promoting body positivity. Thanks to Ms. Samuel and Sra. Carillo for leading the trip and making this experience possible for these students.
 

Yes, that is Blake Johnson ’11 performing as part of Born to Rise Women's storytelling night in Newport on February 25th. Blake worked as a teaching assistant and after school programs staff at Gordon while she was pursuing her B.S. and her law degree at Roger Williams University. Photo: Blake, second from left, with her family group on the 2011 Civil Rights Trip
 

Yes, that is school counselor Hallie Riggs and her picture book, All the Pieces: When a Loved One Dies from Substance Use, honored with the Children’s Book Council’s 2025 Notable Social Studies Award. The award is given to books “that emphasize human relations, represent diversity and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences.”
 

Yes, that was alumni parent Dr. Beth Toolan (center) taking this year’s Golden Stethoscope Award at the Providence Community Health Centers annual awards reception. The award goes to an exemplary clinician who demonstrates clinical excellence and a commitment to compassionate patient care. 
 

Yes, that is alumni parent and United States District Court Chief Judge Jack McConnell in the headlines for his decisions unfreezing federal grant programs, a leading case in the judicial response to recent executive orders. McConnell serves on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island with fellow Gordon alumni parent Judge Melissa DuBose.
 

Yes, that was Middle School parent Aarin Clemons featured on Providence Tourism’s Instagram last week. They were spotlighting Gavelmade, a local jewelry brand, and visitors to the Gavelmade webpage will find even more Gordon faces.
 

Yes, that is Philanthropic Engagement Director Alexandra O’Connor featured on the twenty-sixth episode of Capital Campaign Pro’s podcast. Alexandra reflects on her work leading Community MusicWorks’ successful capital campaign and shares insights on donor engagement, strategic planning, and balancing operations with relationship-building.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by St. Andrew's School (@standrewsri)

Yes, that was Cian Wood ’23 sinking a half-court shot on his first attempt last week. The shot, featured on St. Andrews’ Instagram feed, called to mind this shot from 2023, featuring Cian’s classmate Collin Mburu ’23.
 

Yes, that is David Battle-Cardemil ’22 (photo, center) and Daniel Duarte-Baird ’21 going to the FIRST LEGO League robotics world championship in Houston this April, having been on the Wheeler team that won the coveted Inspire award in the state championships. This is Daniel’s third time going to the nationals since he graduated from Gordon. Other Gordon alumni on strong Wheeler teams included Carter Moore ’24, Calder Smith-Montross ’22 and Mateo Cordero Gagnon ’22. 
 

Yes, that is Gordon parent Wendy Wallace (third from left) awarded Brown University’s Excellence Award for Citizenship along with three of her fellow project managers at Brown. Over the past year, the four of them organized a Project Management Community of Practice that now has 287 members across Brown’s campus.
 

See a Gordon face standing out in the crowd? Reach out to Geoff Griffin at 401 480 9933 or ggriffin@gordonschool.org

Look back at more Gordon names in the headlines - links lead back as far as 2019!