Bill Taylor wishes he had a transformative high school learning experience but acknowledges that he just spent a lot of time memorizing content and repeating it to teachers in whatever format they wanted. “I learned how to play the game and achieved marginal success. However, I loved college because I finally could study what interested me, and graduate school was even better as the focus narrowed and intensified.”
Taylor’s interest in project-based learning evolved from his drive to help young people discover their interests and talents and, in the process, commit to their own journey of self-awareness. “We as teachers should provide opportunities for students to be more reflective and proactive in their own learning. Schools need to provide tools to equip our students to be citizens of the 21st century. If we can find ways to help young people be more self-aware and create meaningful content that emanates from that exploration, then our students will be prepared for college and the workplace.”
At Trinity-Pawling, the capstone Senior Independent Project serves as the convergence of those roads. Taylor revels in seeing a young man sparked with energy as he works on a project of interest. “This year, we had a student expand his interest in theater by directing the fall play. The challenge of this exercise was compounded because we had three different theater instructors working on the project with him. He learned how challenging it is to lead peers and coordinate the collaborative efforts of adults and students toward a finished product. The result was an exceptional show and a senior whose engagement with theater was broadened in unique ways.” This winter, another group of students will be building an outdoor pizza oven for their interdisciplinary Winter Project that is sure to be a hit with the community.
Taylor feels the faculty has evolved with this emphasis on project-based learning. “When they see what some boys have created and sense their enthusiasm, that energy motivates them to perhaps retool their own approach. I’ve become more cognizant of my own teaching and am trying different methodologies. The bottom line is that we are all together on this journey to increased self-awareness.”
“Schools are meaningful places for me,” The Reverend Michael E. Robinson shared. Across a career in education and ministry spanning twenty-seven years, Robinson has held many roles, including teacher, coach, chaplain, and Head of School. He joined Trinity-Pawling as School Chaplain this past summer and is delighted to be returning to the pastoral role in a school community. “I enjoy the array of opportunities that being Chaplain brings,” Robinson started. “Engaging the community in a lively and purposeful dialogue about what it means to be a community and how we can bring our best selves to foster that community is so important.”
Through his primary role as Chaplain and additional role as teacher, in both the middle school and high school, Robinson emphasizes the importance of service learning. Participating in community service projects, he feels, gives the boys the opportunity to engage with the world around them—and make a tangible impact. “The world needs what our boys can uniquely offer,” explained Robinson. “Service learning teaches the boys to think differently, reflect on the needs of specific organizations, and figure out which gifts and talents they can bring that are aligned with those needs.”
Robinson has introduced several service projects to the school community this year, including support of the Pawling Resource Center, Habitat for Humanity, and Out of Darkness. He is continually working to find new service opportunities in the local community and make them readily available to the students. Robinson’s latest service venture and Winter Project introduces his students to HeForShe, the United Nations-sponsored organization that is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. “Bringing HeForShe to campus will foster the open dialogue about gender equality and respect. As an all-boys school, we have unique opportunities in and out of the classroom to keep the conversation going and it’s imperative that we do just that.”
As he emphasizes service learning and social consciousness at Trinity-Pawling, Robinson’s main vision is to encourage the entire community to ask the deep questions. “Whether in liturgy and worship, in the classroom, on the fields and courts, or in the community, we simply need to keep talking,” he shared. “Ask the questions that stimulate thought and—more importantly—growth. Doing so will help us foster an open-minded, service-oriented, and inclusive community that leaves a positive footprint on the world.”
Alumni, share your good news with your Trinity-Pawling friends! Please send in your Class Notes for the Spring 2018 Trinity-Pawling Magazine. The submission deadline is January 10, 2018!
Have you recently gotten married, entered retirement, welcomed a new baby into the family, embarked on a great trip, received a promotion at work, or won a community award? Let us know!
You can submit your good news online.
Questions? Contact Janet Hubbard P’07 by email jhubbard@trinitypawling.org or by phone 845-855-4830.
Children’s book author, Billy Baldwin ’79, doesn’t like to read or write. He’s never enjoyed it, and likely never will, as it is often frustrating and difficult for him. Baldwin is dyslexic and it is a lifelong challenge he’s met since his first reading lesson in grade school. “Though it may sound strange coming from a children’s author…I dislike reading and writing,” Baldwin shared. “But I love storytelling.”
For Baldwin, this love for storytelling triumphs over his aversion to reading and writing. Each time he lifts his pencil to storyboard a new idea, Baldwin refuses to be held back by his dyslexia. “I’ll never get the grammar or the sentence structure right, but the stories are there,” Baldwin said. “And that’s all that matters.”
Telling stories has been one of Baldwin’s specialties for decades, and it all started with cookies. Several years ago, Baldwin left the commercial real estate industry to start a cookie company with his brother. The company was Cookie Island, and it produced much more than delicious baked goods. As the company expanded, Baldwin began to build a world around Cookie Island, developing dynamic characters and stories. This, he explains, is when his storytelling truly blossomed. “Cookie Island wasn’t just a bakery. It was a whole world.” Baldwin shared.
The stories of Cookie Island propelled Baldwin into the world of children’s books—but not too far from the world of cookies. In 2017, Baldwin published three picture books, the second of which features—you guessed it—a cookie! The Cookie That Saved Christmas is a heartwarming story about Christmas magic and family traditions. And it’s just one of Baldwin’s many works with an important message. “The most rewarding part of being an author has to be the reaction on people’s faces,” Baldwin shared. “When they hear the message of the story and I get to see how it captivates and moves them—there’s nothing like it.” It’s especially rewarding for Baldwin, as the process of writing a book is not an easy one for him. “If my stories can help a child realize that it’s okay to be different, it’s worth all of the frustration that went into writing it.”
On Sunday, December 17, the Trinity-Pawling community welcomed Baldwin to campus for a special holiday reading of The Cookie That Saved Christmas, followed by an evening of cookie decorating and Christmas cheer. Baldwin enjoyed returning to Trinity-Pawling—the very place where he learned how to overcome the challenges of his dyslexia. “T-P gave me the chance to realize that I had potential to grow and have a purpose,” Baldwin said. “The School was a community where I felt safe. Ted and Carol Kneeland, specifically, gave me the tools I needed to work through my reading and writing struggles. T-P gave me a foundation. And I couldn’t have done any of this without it.”
THANK YOU to alumni, parents, and friends for joining us to celebrate the joy of the season at our holiday events in New York City and Boston, and Candlelight Service in Pawling.
A heartfelt thanks to Michael Kovner ’58 and Jean Doyen de Montaillou for hosting a lovely holiday gathering at the Union Club in NYC, and to Peggy and Phil Haughey ’53 for hosting a lively group at the Harvard Club in Boston to celebrate the festivities of the season.
We were delighted to welcome over 200 Trinity-Pawling alumni, parents, and friends for these two evenings of reconnection and cheer. Enjoy these pictures, and have a wonderful holiday season!
Click here for Boston pictures.
For those who were unable to join or follow online, click the link below to see pictures from this year’s Candlelight Service.
Prospective students and parents are invited to join us on campus – January 20, 2018 – to learn about all the great things that Trinity-Pawling has to offer.
Explore our Smith Field House, Center for Learning Achievement, and our iSites for innovation & ideation. Learn about our 8th grade boarding program, and our project-based learning curriculum. Enjoy lunch with us, and then stay to watch the Pride basketball and hockey teams.
Join us on January 20, 2018 – we can’t wait to show you around!
Register at online or call 845-855-4825.
It’s not always easy being ‘the new kid’ at school. In an unfamiliar setting with different classes and faces, transitioning as a new student can be, at times, a challenging experience. Trinity-Pawling’s newest club on campus aims to change that.
Started by Tim Colmey ’18 this year, the Mid-Year Mentors Club works to relieve the anxiety that comes with being a new student on campus. It provides a supportive, encouraging network of peers to learn how to navigate each new experience at Trinity-Pawling.
The idea to start the Mid-Year Mentors sparked from Colmey’s personal experience as ‘the new kid’ at Trinity-Pawling, just this year. When beginning the school year, one of Colmey’s classmates made an effort to ease his transition into Trinity-Pawling life. As Colmey explained in his Chapel Talk earlier in the term, he was moved by this classmate’s gesture and quickly realized that a little peer guidance makes a significant impact in the life of a new student.
Using this realization as a springboard, Colmey started the Mid-Year Mentors Club. “The main purpose is to help students that join us during the middle of the school year get acclimated as quickly as possible,” he explained. As a first-year student himself, Colmey knew the club would be an asset to the campus and foster the spirit of mentorship in the community.
“It’s important to mentor new students when they first arrive at T-P,” Colmey started. “They might be anxious because they missed part of the work, and they have to make new friends. The mentors can help with all of it.”
Mentorship is a pillar of the Trinity-Pawling brotherhood and the Mid-Year Mentors are bringing it to life every day. Since Colmey began the club, interest has grown significantly. “The first day when I made an announcement at dinner, I had about 10 kids sign up,” Colmey explained. “I was thrilled to have 10 mentors…and it only got better!” By the end of that same week, the number of mentors had more than doubled. “We currently have about 25 mentors. Originally the plan was to have one mentor for each new student, but because of the interest, we can have two mentors for every new student,” Colmey shared. “It’s great!”
Right now, the main focus of the Mid-Year Mentors is preparing to help the students who will join Trinity-Pawling in the New Year. Colmey is hopeful that 2018 will show even more growth for the club, as it makes such a positive impact on the school community—an impact he knows firsthand. “I’d just like to thank everyone for welcoming me to the School, and helping me have success. Without everyone being there for me, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to start this club in the first place.”
Congratulations to Coach Dave Coratti P’08 for being elected to the NEPSFCA Coaches’ Hall of Fame! As a member of the Hall of Fame, one of the NEPSAC Bowl games will be named after Coratti for years to come.
Dave Coratti joined the Trinity-Pawling faculty in 1981. He has served Trinity-Pawling for 36 years, in roles of Dean of Students and Director of Studies, as well as a long time wrestling and football coach, and now brings his extensive experience to the position of Associate Headmaster, which he assumed in 2001.
On being known as a “T-P Legend”—Coratti admits it is very humbling. “When I am on the field I think about the journey that got me to this point. As for the term “T-P Legend,” being called a “legend” by some indicates that I am getting up there in age!”
Being elected to the NEPSFCA Coaches’ Hall of Fame is a long overdue and well-deserved honor according to many. The new “Hall of Famer” title is a reflection of Coratti’s hard work and dedication, but according to Coratti, it comes down to one thing, “I love what I do.”
“I have always been passionate about teaching and coaching and working with young men. When you have passion for what you do, you will always love your journey in life, “ he concludes.
Since childhood, artist Joseph Rossano ’81 has examined nature with a unique perspective. Barely five, Rossano began walking the forests of the Catskill Mountains with his father, an MD, bio-researcher, and pharmaceutical developer. “Reflecting on those walks now,” says Rossano, “it was not just my father with whom I was exploring nature, but a life scientist—a biologist, and it was his lens through which I began to observe and try to understand the world around me.”
Rossano’s inspiration to make art is linked to nature and how humanity interacts with it. His concern for the effect we have on the world motivates Rossano to expose environmental truths through his art. Combining cutting-edge technology and science with his art, Rossano aims to make his viewers feel something. “It is important that whatever I make, I bring viewers partway down my personal path,” explains Rossano.
In October, Rossano’s art exhibit Conservation From Here opened at Sagamore HiIl, Theodore Roosevelt’s historic estate in Oyster Bay, Long Island. Rossano’s artwork in this exhibit was inspired by Roosevelt and Rossano’s shared passion for nature and conservation. Trinity-Pawling art teacher Ned Reade attended the opening at Sagamore Hill with fellow art teacher Ramsay Antonio-Barnes and their art students.
Rossano believes Trinity-Pawling’s living and teaching environment had a major influence on him, and it continues to influence his daily life. “Friendships forged at Trinity-Pawling, notably with Tim Rollins ’81 and Tom Ashforth ’81, have had profound impacts on my career,” says Rossano. “Setting goals, prioritizing, designing critical paths, and persevering until those goals are realized are linked directly to an organizational strategy instilled in me at the School.” Rossano concludes, “In two words, T-P provided a “structure” for daily life offering “focus” to achieve one’s aspirations.”
Learn more about Rossano’s work at www.josephrossano.com.
The countdown is ON— just 10 more days to make your gift before the end of the calendar year!
In the spirit of the season, we hope you’ll consider a contribution to the Trinity-Pawling Fund.
This important yearly initiative supports everything on campus. Every gift matters and your investment means so very much to the students and entire Trinity-Pawling community. You can find your giving options online.
Here’s to a New Year filled with much learning, growth, friendship, and success—both in our world and yours.
Thank you.
The wrestling team is off to a good start this winter with wins over Marvelwood and Avon. Six members of the team traveled to Tabor Academy this past Saturday for an individual tournament. Bim Gecaj ’18 won the 285 pound division. Graham Roediger ’18 finished second at 152 pounds, as did David Bancroft ’19 at the 132 pound division. Conrad Adams ’18 finished third in the 138 pound division.
Varsity hockey has completed the pre-Christmas season with a 4 – 2 – 2 record—off to a good start with wins over Loomis, Albany Academy, and their win over Avon was a highlight as well as their success in the Avon Christmas Classic. Goalies Evan Ruschil ’19 and Mitch Bown ’19 have played well. The defense has been led by Gabe Blanchard ’19 and Kyle Miller ’18. Offense has been provided by Joey Musa ’19, AJ Bella ’18, Jackson Breton ’19, and Stephen Willey ’20.
The JV hockey team played well in their tie game with Salisbury followed by a hard fought loss to Avon. Will DePalma ’18 has provided a great deal of offensive punch.
Varsity basketball has completed their pre-Christmas schedule with a 5 – 3 record— highlighted by wins over Salisbury and Andover. In the three games at the Seacoast Classic, Brandon Redendo ’18 led all scorers, followed by Korey Lee ’18 and Sam Peek ’18. Nikkei Rutty ’18 scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds in their final game against Andover.
The JV Basketball team defeated Gunnery and Westminster, while losing a close contest to Salisbury. The 3rd Basketball team beat Canterbury in their only game prior to Christmas.
The Varsity squash team is off to a good start with competitions against Millbrook, Taft, and Suffield early this season.
JV squash defeated Salisbury and finished the pre-Christmas campaign 1 – 1.
Watch the winter season coach and player interviews here.