In the words of his math teacher Alan Lipp: “Our young mathematician has done it again.” Dongyang Cheng ’11 has qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) based upon his work in two previous competitions. For the Olympiad, Don will compete on a nine-hour exam at the end of April. This is a very selective competition; approximately 250 students are chosen out of the several hundred thousand who competed in the first round.

According to the Mathematical Society of America, which administers the contest, the USAMO provides a means of identifying and encouraging the most creative secondary mathematics students in the country. It serves to indicate the talent of those who may become leaders in the mathematical sciences of the next generation.

Further adding to his achievements, Don also qualified as a semifinalist for the 2011 U.S. Physics Olympics Team.

Professor Ken Gormley, dean of Duquesne University Law School and author of The Death of American Virtue, will be on campus for two events Monday, April 11. He will first visit a history class and lead a discussion of his scholarship on the Clinton impeachment trial and the Watergate investigation. At 6:30 p.m. he will give a public presentation in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center. View map.

In his recent book, Gormley presents new information on the tension between President Bill Clinton and special prosecutor Ken Starr, and how it morphed from an investigation of financial dealings into an investigation of personal behavior. According to Steve Weinberg of the Star Tribune, “Gormley comes across as nonpartisan while chronicling one of the most politically partisan messes in American history.”

Gormley has taught at Duquesne since 1994, specializing in Constitutional law, state Constitutional law, the First Amendment, and the American Presidency. He is also the author of Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation. He was twice awarded the Bruce K. Gould Book Award for outstanding publication related to the law, in 1999 and in 2010. He has also published dozens of scholarly articles, written features and opinion pieces for newspapers across the nation, testified twice before the United States Senate, appeared on national TV and radio as a legal commentator, and lectured at prestigious venues including Harvard, Stanford, and the John F. Kennedy Library.

Diane Williams may not be a superhero, but she does have an alter ego. She balances teaching and coaching at Williston with her own athletic endeavors as a member of Pioneer Valley Roller Derby. Ms. Williams came to Williston from Smith College, where she coached volleyball and track and field. She has master’s degrees in exercise and sports studies (from Smith) and social justice education (from UMass Amherst). Now she is the head coach of the Williston volleyball team, coaches thirds squash and track and field, is a dorm parent in Memorial Hall, and teaches geography in the Middle School.

“The great thing about geography is it encompasses everything,” Ms. Williams says. “It’s interdisciplinary by nature.” Her seventh grade students are at an age where she believes they are really starting to pay attention to the world around them, so they are interested in and curious about the physical geography, history, and social issues of the regions they study. “They come into class already talking about the news,” she says. For example, in January, the class studied the human and physical impact of the Haitian earthquake of 2010. When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March, the class was able to draw on this experience to begin to understand the impact of this tragedy.

Ms. Williams describes her first year at Williston as “challenging, exciting, and really fun.” She enjoys the students and the faculty and staff, and appreciates the culture of support at the school. “I like the way people engage with each other and cheer each other on.”

Her colleagues and students will have the opportunity on Saturday, April 9, to cheer on Ms. Williams’ alter ego, Lady Hulk, when her roller derby team comes to Lossone Rink for their season-opening bout. Roller derby, a contact sport with roots in sports entertainment, is based on formation roller skating around an oval track by two teams. Points are scored when the designated scorer of a given team laps members of the opposing team. A member of Pioneer Valley Roller Derby since 2009, Ms. Williams says that derby is “worth checking out” for those who may not have heard of the sport. “It’s fun and unique. It’s very athletic, and is always a good show.”

Bout details: On Saturday, April 9, the Western Mass Destruction of Pioneer Valley Roller Derby will play the Sufferjets of the Ithaca League of Women Rollers with a halftime expo from the men of the Dirty Dozen. Tickets are $10 (kids $5) at the door. $8 advance tickets are available at Off the Map Tattoo, 112 Cottage Street, Easthampton. Lossone Rink opens at 5:00 and the game starts at 6:00 p.m.

Art students from The Williston Northampton School will curate Joint Venture, an exhibition showcasing paintings by individuals in the Riverside Industries arts program. Joint Venture will exhibit at the Grubbs Gallery in the Reed Campus Center at The Williston Northampton School from April 12-29, 2011. An opening reception will be held on April 17, 2011, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

This semester, five Williston students who are the advisees of Williston art teacher Marcia Reed have joined art classes at Riverside Industries—a non-profit organization that serves people with disabilities. Riverside Industries is located in Easthampton in the One Cottage Street mill building, just a few blocks from Williston’s campus. The organization offers art classes to clients, giving them the opportunity to explore and express their creativity. In this semester’s classes, the students of Williston and Riverside worked together to create artwork as they talked about their processes and interests. During the final class preceding spring break, Williston students worked with Marcia Reed and Denise Herzog, art director at Riverside Industries, to select individual pieces for the exhibit in the Grubbs Gallery.

Marcia Reed says about the class, “All of my advisees this semester are all art students. I thought this could be a good community service project and a way for them to interact with the Riverside. I approached Denise and she thought it was a good idea, too. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for them to curate the show, select the art, and help to hang it. They could be part of that whole process.”

During one class, Williston and Riverside students casually chatted around a table about their hometowns as they painted on large pieces of paper. With Williston students’ hometowns ranging from Saudi Arabia to Easthampton, MA, and Riverside Industries clients coming from all of the surrounding pioneer valley area, the group learned about a variety of places, some near and far.

During the discussion, a Riverside client named Jen turned to Williston student Ashley Wong, a senior from Hong Kong, China, and asked what color should she use next on her drawing. Ashley, a senior at Williston, encouraged her to pick a color that she liked. Ashley has been enthusiastic about the program since the group began visiting Riverside. She says, “All the students have their own style. They are very independent. There is a student named Tony, his work is amazing! He captures so much detail.”

Denise Herzog toured the Willliston art studios in the Reed Campus Center and was enthusiastic about the work on view. Herzog says, “I’m very impressed with this group from Williston. They are very mature for their age. To come into a new situation like this class, one has to adjust their comfort levels. They did it quickly.”

The exhibit is free and open to the public and takes place in the Grubbs Gallery of the Reed Campus Center at The Williston Northampton School. For more information see www.williston.com/grubbsgallery.