Gordonians in the headlines

Yes, that was a soon-to-be sixth grader reading aloud on the latest episode of PBS’s CampTV. He was one of ten student readers selected by Rhode Island’s PBS station to participate in the show. See him accepting the honor on Gordon's Instagram. More on CampTV at https://www.ripbs.org/camptv/
 

Yes, that is Gordon Spanish teacher (and alumni parent) Aleida Benitez and former Gordon Spanish teacher (and alumni parent) Tricia Kelly traveling with Rhode Island College students and local educators this month as part of a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant “Guatemala for Educators.” They are documenting their experience on the Instagram page of RIC’s World Languages Education department, https://www.instagram.com/ricwled/
 

Yes, that is work by Lou Najjar-Rulin ’11 in the new show QT Embodied at the Boston Sculptors Gallery this summer. The show opens July 19th and runs through August 13th; more at https://www.bostonsculptors.com
 

Yes, that was a large crew of Gordon faces at Karyn Parsons’s reading at Providence’s Books on the Square Friday night. Librarian Frances Martindale facilitated the reading and signing celebrating Ms. Parsons’ newest novel for young readers, Clouds Over California.

This is Karyn Parsons’s fourth book for young readers. She is perhaps best known for her role as Will Smith's cousin Hilary Banks on NBC's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and she is also the founder and producer of Sweet Blackberry, an award-winning series of children's animated films highlighting stories about unsung Black heroes in history. She first learned about Gordon while serving on a panel, How to Raise and Teach Anti-Racist Kids, with Head of School Noni Thomas López in 2020.

More about the 2020 panel at https://ow.ly/jCA250PaMIf
More about Karyn Parsons at https://www.karyn-parsons.com 
 

Yes, that was a soon-to-be second grader performing at Tanglewood alongside Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops as they performed Ragtime last weekend. He played the part of Little Coalhouse in the musical adaptation based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel.

The Berkshire Eagle’s review at https://ow.ly/YFk050Pcg7t
WCRB’s stream of the Saturday performance at https://ow.ly/hb6850Pcg7K
 

Yes, that was Gordon parents Megan and Murray McMillan and their two children among several artist families in residence at Providence’s Wedding Cake House last week. Megan and Murray are video installation artists who have been collaborating since 2002; the Wedding Cake House, at 514 Broadway, is a project of the feminist arts collective the Dirt Palace, and hosts artist residencies, installations and exhibits yearround.

Video and more from the McMillan’s residency: https://ow.ly/CXT750Pbf6c
More on the Wedding Cake House: https://ow.ly/vlVC50Pbf78
 

Yes, that was Kailas Kahler '16 honored as an Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators this spring. The electrical engineering and computer science major and and Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar-athlete was one of two MIT students to win the honor. More at MIT Athletics' site
 

Yes, that was a small staff reunion in the Joukowsky Family Library in mid-July. Former science teacher Jacqui Ketner, ex-kitchen staff Martha Baker, and retired Lower School Director Maryanne Pieri all spent the day helping Frances Martindale shelve books.
 

Yes, that is Rhode Island Youth Poetry Ambassador Natasha Connolly ’20 participating in Tina Cane’s Poetry is Bread online reading series. Natasha’s selections included summer themes and a brief celebration of the Fourth of July. The series is linked from https://www.tinacane.ink/poetry-is-bread.html
 

Yes, that was Carlin O'Donnell '03, longtime administrative assistant Kim O’Donnell, a soon-to-be first grader and his grandmother helping represent the Westport Food Pantry at Westport Fourth of July parade this year.
 

Yes, that was Myles Craddock ’20 celebrated as offensive football player of the year at the 2023 All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards in late June. It was just one of many honors from a year that saw Craddock dominate Rhode Island’s Division II football.
 

Yes, that was Emma Mirrer ’18 qualifying for the U-23 World Championships after winning the single sculls event at the national team trials in Florida earlier this month. She beat the number two finisher by nearly nineteen seconds.
 

Yes, that was work by Sarah Rose Glickman ’09 being featured at an open house at her mother’s house in early July. She donated 10% of all proceeds from artwork sold at the event on the 6th to the Women's Fund of RI.
 

Yes, that was Lara Ewens Montecalvo ’88 sworn in as a First Circuit Court of Appeals judge in late June. President Biden nominated Montecalvo in April 2022 while she was serving chief public defender.
 

Yes, that was Charlie Enright ’96 leading the 11th Hour Racing team to win the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race this spring. His crew was the first US-flagged team to win what is known as the world’s toughest team competition.

photo: Gordon’s sixth grade found this mural honoring Enright and his crew when they visited Newport in May

In 2014, as he prepared to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race for the first time, Enright told the New York Times that his interest in the race began when he was at Gordon. Read the article at

11th Hour Racing was one of the presenters at Gordon’s Beyond COP21 Symposium in October, alongside Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Jack Reed and Congressman David Cicilline. 
 

Yes, that was Assistant to the Head Clare Blackmer, dance instructor Rodney López and Technology Director Marlon Henry starring in Tim Lehnert’s play The Bench - directed by longtime guest theater instructor Brien Lang and part of the Wilbury Theatre Group’s Festival of New Short Plays in early June. Clare also performed in a second play, that Brien wrote; learn more at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/11321742

 

Yes, that was third grade’s Kasia Kelley, first grade’s Megan Ali, and the Middle School science team of Lily Palmieri and Cush Gillen modeling year-round learning at the Multicultural Teaching Institute at Meadowbrook School in late June. The weeklong workshop builds on the work Gordon teachers do every day, exploring their own cultural identities and where they intersect with teaching and learning.
 

Yes, that was a soon-to-be seventh grader tying for fifth place all around in her level earlier this week at the National Gymnastics Association Nationals in New Orleans. She was the only New Englander of her age finishing in the top fifteen.
 

Yes, those were a bevy of Gordon faces in June’s Bayside School of Dance spring recital, including freshly minted graduate Amelia Belay ’23 along with Josie Harrison ’20, a soon-to-be second grader and two soon-to-be sixth graders. Audience members included Henry Wilson-Winter ’21, Reina Paratore ’20, Maggie Rock '14, and a host of Gordon parents and staff.
 

Yes, that was Salter Arms ’20 and Abby Lee ’20 speaking at Moses Brown’s Commencement in June. Salter was onstage as the student senate co-president, and Abby was there as class representative.
 

Yes, that was Maude Smith-Montross ’20 honored with the Smith Book Prize, “in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and leadership,” at Barrington High School in June. Maude and her rowing partner had also just placed thirteenth in the country at the USRowing Youth Nationals last week.
 

Yes, that was a soon-to-be second grader singing the Portuguese and US national anthems at the State House on June 9th. Her Portuguese language class was invited to participate in the RI Day of Portugal celebrations that went on throughout last weekend.
 

Yes, that was Hannah Rossheim ’11 celebrated online by Providence Country Day, where she attended high school. Hannah is now one-half of the PE team at Gordon.
 

Yes that was Janie Palan ‘22 and Elise Curtis ‘21 holding the Division I RIIL Lacrosse Championship trophy, which they helped win in June. Other Gordonians on Moses Brown’s championship team include Grace McLean, Izzy Cummings, Sophia Clyne, and Maddie Chase, all former Gordon classmates of Elise’s. Moses Brown’s boys team, captained by Gordon graduates Peter Buonanno ‘19 and Jake Murray ‘19, took on LaSalle for the championship game later that day at Brown, with Catcher Dobron ‘19, Myles Craddock ‘20 and Trevor Rose ‘20 on the team.
 

Yes, those were Gordon alumni leading in the cast, crew and orchestra of Moses Brown’s spring production of Mean Girls. From left: Kavi Gasper ’18, Ishan Kahler ’22, William Istok ’19, Myles Johnson ’19 (not in the show, but a proud audience member), Nick Boulay ’19, Levi Gewirz ’19, former Gordon Arts Director Milly Massey, Ebba Karlsson ’19 and Anna Bamford ’21.
 

Yes, those were Gordon eighth graders, deep into their service learning projects, on the recent post from Farm Fresh Rhode Island. They were supporting the work of Hope’s Harvest leader and Gordon parent Eva Agudelo; more on the eighth grade service learning projects at http://ow.ly/N0um50OAiYp

 

More Gordon names in the headlines

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