Gordonians in the spotlight
Performers, newsmakers, community leaders and athletes
Yes, that is Executive Assistant to the Head of School Clare Blackmer, and a number of Gordon classrooms, in the video above promoting Armada, the Wilbury Group's production at this year's Fringe PVD Festival. The festival begins this week and a quick look at the website reveals participation from Ms. Blackmer as well as alumni parents Mary-Kim Arnold and Dancie Dennigan, Leo Griffin '17, and 2020 Britt Nelson Visiting Artist Dave Allyn. Learn more at www.fringepvd.org
Yes, that is Gordon parent Kathleen Nasti in this week's Seekonk Reporter, launching the Seekonk Family Environmental Coalition as a way to draw families into the work of combating the current environmental crisis. Her first goals include launching residential composting in Seekonk and creating children's educational programming, and she's eager to collaborate with other members of the Gordon family. photo above is one of Ms. Nasti's Lower Schoolers
Yes, that is Gordon parent Eli Nixon leading a free papermache workshop at the Providence Public Library, Friday the 22nd from 1 to 4:30pm, sponsored by Providence Art Culture + Tourism. It's part of an all-ages series Eli is doing this summer, which has already drawn a crowd of Gordon students.
Yes, that was a toy design by Britton Kroessler '03 winning at the 2022 Core77 Design Awards last month. His innovative design, Wiggel!, inspired open-ended, collaborative play among test groups of children, who rated it as superior to LEGO in a number of key criteria.
Learn more, and vote for Wiggel! for the Community Choice Prize, at http://ow.ly/kXnr30souBR
Yes, that is Lynne McCormack, parent of Maya Chin '07 and Sarah Chin '11, named new director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts earlier this summer. Lynne brings a strong history of community leadership to the position, including a long stretch as director of Providence's Art, Culture + Tourism.
Yes, that is Gordon teacher Mimi Roterman among the names in the new group show at the Jamestown Art Center. The show, Rising Tide: Reflections of Surf Art and Culture, is up through August 13th; more on the show at http://ow.ly/Bhom30snFpP
Yes, that was Gordon family member and dance instructor Rodney López leading a three-hour Crash the Ballroom crash course on social dancing for adults in early July. It was hosted by Metamorphosis Dance Company; see Mr. López working with Gordon fifth graders at http://ow.ly/cxqA30snl0H
Yes, that was friend of Gordon Fred Gray receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in July. Gray, who has represented Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, the victims of the Tuskegee syphilis study, and the NAACP along with many others, met with Gordon students in Alabama in 2016 and 2017 while the eighth grades were on the annual Civil Rights Trip. photo: Fred Gray with the Class of 2017 in Tuskeegee, Alabama
Yes, that was second grade parent Justyna Piasecka in the Providence Journal earlier this spring, as part of a team of Bradley Hospital doctors who had a wonderful outcome with an especially difficult case.
Yes, that was Maude Smith-Montross '20 on Channel 10 in June, as the "Perfect 10" spotlight covered her rowing team's recent national success. See it at http://ow.ly/RYZO30snkZz
Yes, that was a soon-to-be fourth grader taking her first blue ribbon in her first-ever horseback riding competition in late June. Bet it won't be her last.
Yes, that was the freshly graduated sibling pair of Jairo Martinez '22 and Daniel Martinez '22 winning the Cranston East Senior League championship in June. And yes, Jairo pitched and Daniel caught.
More recent Gordon names in the spotlight
Seen a Gordon family member being awesome? Report them immediately to ggriffin@gordonschool.org or text 401 480-9933