All posts by Kate Snyder

Book Editor Andy Ward Closes out Writers’ Workshop Series

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Andy Ward
Editor Andy Ward will be on campus on January 23 to discuss books, writing, and editing.

The Writers’ Workshop Series will conclude with a bang, as Andy Ward, editor in chief at Random House, visits campus on January 23. Ward’s booklist includes Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham and the 2016 New York Times best-seller When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Before coming to the world of books in 2009, he spent almost 15 years as an editor in magazines, first at Esquire, then at GQ. Ward’s talk will be held in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center at 7 p.m., and is free and open to the public. A master class with Williston students will follow at 8 p.m.

English Teacher Lori Pelliccia coordinates the series and leads the Writers’ Workshop honors-level English class that examines the work of the visiting presenters.

“Last year, the students in Writers’ Workshop referred back to the advice they received from the visiting authors time and time again,” she said. “I know this year will be no different. Each speaker’s unique experiences and talents will surely inspire our student writers as they explore and develop their craft.” 

Posted in: Writers' Workshop Series

School-Wide Food Drive Exceeds Goal

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The Community Service Club issued a school-wide challenge: donate 1,000 food and personal care items to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. As an incentive, the class with the most donations would get a dress-down day (a most-coveted prize!).

Sophomores Glede Wang, Simon Kim, and Robby Hill, shopped for food to donate before winter break.
Sophomores Glede Wang, Simon Kim, and Robby Hill shopped for food to donate before winter break.

At a recent assembly, Kate Garrity, Director of Student Life Curriculum and the faculty advisor to the Community Service Club announced the winners of the competition—and the fact that as a school, we exceeded our goal, bringing in 1,315 items, weighing in at 1,142 pounds, for needy families.

The Class of 2019 was first in the Upper School, and second overall  with 340 donations. And the Middle School collected 465 donations, which put them in first place for the entire school.

“Be proud of this and feel good about how many hungry families you were able to help,” said Ms. Garrity in announcing the winners. “Let’s do it again next year!”

Posted in: Student Life, Williston Community

Williston Cum Laude Society to Induct 12 New Students

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Ann Blair Laupheimer Sonnenfeld ’75, a corporate litigator, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Cum Laude induction ceremony on Friday, January 6.

Ann (Blair) Laupheimer Sonnenb
Ann Blair Laupheimer Sonnenfeld ’75

Ms. Sonnenfeld attended Williston for two years as a boarding student, earning induction into Cum Laude in her senior year. After graduating from Williston, she earned a BA from Princeton University in 1979, and a JD summa cum laude from University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1984.

Ms. Sonnenfeld has gone on to a distinguished career in corporate and commercial litigation as a partner at Blank Rome LLP in Philadelphia. For the past six years, Ms. Sonnenfeld has been chair of the Board of Trustees of Agnes Irwin School, an all-girls independent school in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. She has served as chair of the Federal Courts Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and was appointed by U.S. Senators Toomey and Casey to serve on the judicial selection committee to fill six vacancies on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The following members of the Class of 2017 will be inducted into Williston Northampton’s Cum Laude Society:

Sima Gandevia of Hadley, MA
Zi Dong Gao of Beijing, China
Jin Young Lee of Seoul, Korea
Soma Mizobuchi of Kobe, Japan
Tomasz Paluchowski of Springfield, MA
Zachary Robbins of Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
Jordan Sansone of Hanover, NH
Shengfu Shen of Tianjin, China
Jiaying Tang of Shanghai, China
Anna Wilinsky of Florence, MA
Emily Yeager of Easthampton, MA
Molly Zawacki of Easthampton, MA

Inducted students and their parents will be invited to attend a reception immediately following the 8:30 a.m. assembly at the home of Head of School Bob and Kathryn Hill.

The Cum Laude Society, founded in 1906 and modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, honors scholastic achievement in secondary scholars. The society has over 350 chapters, the majority of which are in independent schools. In 1921, Williston Academy became a member of the society, followed by Northampton School for Girls in 1951. In 1971, a new charter was created for the Williston Northampton School.

Posted in: Academics, Williston Northampton News

Winter Warmer Concert Revives Williston Tradition

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screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-11-09-44-amIn the bleak midwinter there’s something uplifting about coming together to sing and play music. And that’s just what will happen in the Phillips Stevens Chapel on Friday, January 20, at 7 p.m. when Williston brings back a tradition of an evening of song for the Winter Warmer Concert.

Student singing groups, instrumental groups, and solo musicians will present traditional and contemporary tunes for the extended Easthampton community. All are welcome, and admission is by donation. Proceeds will be used to buy cots and blankets for the Easthampton Community Center. See the Facebook event here.

Posted in: Williston Northampton News

Williston Donates Rescue Boat to City of Easthampton

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Fire Chief Mottor, Williston CFO Charles McCullagh, Easthampton Mayor Karen Cadieux, Williston Head of School Robert W. Hill III, and Police Chief Robert Alberti
Fire Chief David Mottor, Williston CFO Charles McCullagh, Easthampton Mayor Karen Cadieux, Williston Head of School Robert W. Hill III, and Police Chief Robert Alberti

The City of Easthampton is scheduled to accept a gift of a rescue boat from the Williston Northampton School at a Dec. 21 City Council meeting. The equipment replaces an aluminum boat that dated to before 1953, according to Fire Chief David Mottor.

Mayor Karen Cadieux said she and representatives from Williston had been in discussions about a capital gift to the city that the school could make. “This is the perfect item. It serves the police department, the fire department, Williston, and the entire city of Easthampton,” she said. “We’re thrilled to see our community working together.”

The new craft is a 14-foot Defender 430 Zodiac-style inflatable with a 25-horsepower outboard motor and a hard hull. The design makes rescuing much easier, Mottor said. The older boat, which was not designed as a rescue vehicle, has high sides, making it difficult to pull people out of the water, and increasing the risk of injury to the rescuer, Mottor said.

The old aluminum boat and its newer replacement
The pre-1953 aluminum boat and its replacement

“The new boat has a lower profile, it’s lighter, and it can be brought to the water’s edge anywhere. We don’t have to use the boat launch, which will reduce our response time,” he said. The police and fire departments undertake rescue, enforcement, and spill-response activities in Nashawannuck Pond, in the Oxbow of the Connecticut River, and on the Manhan River. Mottor said the new boat with a bigger motor will allow a crew to pull oil spill response equipment, such as booms, through a stronger current.

Police Chief Robert Alberti said the boat fills a need when the department engages in enforcement and rescue activities. “We’ve had to ask to borrow a boat to render services,” he said, adding. “We look forward to using the boat for the betterment of the community.”

Williston Chief Financial Officer Charles McCullagh, who, along with Head of School Robert W. Hill III, worked with the city to identify a donation that would best serve the community, delivered the craft to the fire department on the morning of Dec. 20. McCullagh, Hill, Mayor Cadieux, Chief Mottor, and Chief Alberti posed for photos next to the old and new boats.

“Our public safety professionals need quality equipment to do their jobs well, and we are proud to support their efforts,” Hill said.

McCullagh added, “Williston works to be a good partner for the town of Easthampton, and we are happy to support its rescue operations by providing this equipment.”

Posted in: Williston Community