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A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E A L U M N I & D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E Spring 2012

George and Mary Giguere Help Issue the Every Student, Every Day Challenge to Complete Cornerstone Campaign Two

Last September, Headmaster John Fixx received a voicemail from former Trustee and past parent George Giguere. George mentioned that after very deep consideration with his wife, Mary, and their daughter, Jesse ’08, they had decided to make a legacy gift to Chase in the amount of $1,000,000. “That’s not the type of voicemail you get every day of the week,” recalls John. “Not only was I absolutely delighted by the gift, I was also just so elated that the Gigueres felt strongly enough about our school and what we’re doing here that they would make such a monumental gesture.”

Though George and Mary were certain that they would be making another significant gift to the School, they didn’t anticipate that they would be making such a large gift so soon. In the Lower and Middle Schools, students are often acknowledged when a teacher notices someone performing an act of kindness. The hope is that this acknowledgement will inspire others to do the same. This is how George and Mary describe their motivation to make this gift. “When we read in last summer’s issue of the Campaign Newsletter about the $500,000 legacy gift made by Carol and Lem Sperry ’36, we were so moved by their generosity that we decided to get up and do something too,” says George. “I bless them for stepping forward.”

To make their donation as powerful as possible, George and Mary agreed to issue their gift as a joint challenge with Mr. and Mrs. Sperry. “What we really want to do is inspire as many people to support Chase as possible and what better way to do that than with a challenge?” Working closely with the Development Office, the Sperrys and Gigueres proudly announced the Every Student, Every Day Challenge last fall. This challenge will match, dollar for dollar, any gift or pledge made to the School before June 30, 2012, up to $1.5 million. The successful completion of the challenge will also allow the School to complete Cornerstone Campaign Two, a $15 million capital campaign.

Why did the Gigueres make their gift? The reasons parents, alumni, and friends of the School give and volunteer are many and varied. It may be in support of a certain academic program or capital project. It may be in honor of a current faculty member or in memory of a deceased classmate. Mary describes their inspiration as more general than that. “We made our gift because Chase is a jewel. There is no place around here that does what Chase does, and we need to make sure that

the School continues to thrive for the good of the whole community.”

The Gigueres’ connection to Chase began in 1995 when, based on the recommendation of another Woodbury family who had a son at the School, George and Mary enrolled Jesse at Chase. They never looked back, and 13 years later Jesse graduated as a “sandboxer.” During their time at Chase the whole family thrived. George was nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees, served as Chair of the Committee on Trustees, and played an instrumental role in the

construction of Camp Hall, the School’s Lower School building, and the new wing of the Upper School. Mary was involved with the Parents’ Association, led the Cultural Enrichment Program for two years, served as a member of the Investment Committee, and served as the Chair of the Senior Parent Class Gift Committee. Jesse was a Middle School Declamation winner and received various awards and accolades by the time of her graduation, including the Alberta C. Edell Head of School Award and election to the Cum Laude Society. Jesse is now studying at Brown University. Indeed, one of the great aspects of Chase, recalls Mary, is that “parents are encouraged to get engaged at the School.” George continued, “Everyone is truly driven to make the School as good as it could be.”

That, in essence, is what inspired the Gigueres to make this extraordinary gift, and that is what inspires hundreds of alumni and parents and friends to support Chase each year. Everyone is out to make the School as good as it can be and to leave the institution stronger than they found it.

“We made our gift because Chase is a jewel. There is no place around here that does what Chase does, and we need to make sure that the School continues to thrive for the good of the whole community.”

Mary and George Giguere on the South Porch this spring.

Chase Collegiate School Board of Trustees2011-2012

Officers

Chair Fern Z. FeldmanVice Chair Robert W. Garthwait, Jr. ’78Treasurer Robert MazaikaSecretary Judith Kellogg Rowley ’53

Trustees

Peter D. AndersonKevin BennettAnne Briglia ’76Doug HarrisonRick J. Errichetti ’82Priscilla MulvaneyKelley MurdyAnn HodgmanJohn PronovostCarlos RodriguesDiana E. Smith ’55Margaret D. Smith ’69Marcia TejedaC. Hiram Upson III ’46

Ex-Officio Members

John D. FixxHeadmasterLenora Mitchell Kenney ’86President,Parents’ AssociationKelly Murtha Pelosi ’91President,Alumni Association

Life Trustees

Nancy H. Camp ’49Jane Punzelt Herfort ’44

Alumni & Development Staff

Krista ColettiDirector of DevelopmentMat Calabro ’04Director of Alumni RelationsMaureen CarletonDirector of Parent Relationsand Grant WriterCorinne CroccoAlumni & DevelopmentAssistantFaith StewartDirector of Information Resources & Records

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Chase on the go: highlights & events

Dr. Petit Donates Rowing Shells in Honor of His Wife and Daughters

2011 JoAnne Davies Volunteer Service Award Recepients

Undeterred by the October snow storm, Chase held its Annual Leadership Reception on November 1 at Winvian in Morris, CT. At the event, the Bushka family was presented with the JoAnne Davies Volunteer Service Award for their remarkable service to the School. Pictured are Rich, Nancy and Tiffany Bushka, Violet, Ron, and Ron, Jr. Bushka, Tefta and Steven Bushka, and Terry, Lisa, and Ariel Bushka.

Alumni and Parents Take Part in Annual Career Day

On November 4, Chase’s Upper School students enjoyed the opportunity to explore a variety of careers. Special thanks to our six tremendous speakers: Charles Monagan ’64, Jeff Drubner ’83, Anupam Bhargava ’85, Erin Rechler ’98, and current parents Deb Feldman and John Pronovost, who is pictured speaking to students in the Upper School Commons.

Parents and Friends Enjoy Beautiful PA Gala

The Parents’ Association hosted their biennial Gala on Saturday, April 21, and it was a rousing success! This year’s theme was The Chef’s Table and the event featured seven renowned Connecticut chefs who prepared signature dishes for the guests. More than 185 members of the community were in attendance and $58,000 was raised. Proceeds from this event will benefit the new Campus Maintenance Complex. Congratulations to the PA and event chairs Lisa and Terry Bushka.

School Community Competes in the Amazing Chase On October 15, 28 teams and 136 members of the Chase community took part in the inaugural Amazing Chase event. This clue-based scavenger hunt led teams to various locations throughout Waterbury as they raced each other and the clock. The Amazing Chase galvanized members of the whole Waterbury community. Business and organization leaders opened their doors for the event, and Chase alumni, students, parents, grandparents, and teachers competed and volunteered. Mark your calendar for this year’s event on October 20!

“Make sure you bury the blade!” shouts Lincoln Turner from the pace boat, instructing one of his Varsity rowers to totally submerge his oar before commencing the pull through. It is 4:00 on a stunning Thursday afternoon in April, and the Chase Rowing Teams are starting their daily practice on Middlebury’s Lake Quassapaug. While the assistant coach, Heather Kelly, supervises the Novice teams across the lake, Coach Turner motors alongside Chase’s two Varsity boats noting the “run” and “check” of each boat, and asking the coxswains about the “strokerate” of their respective shells.

Today is a special one for the Chase Rowing teams. Today is the first time they are taking to water in their new boats, a pair of sleek, 4-person Hudson Boat Works racing shells purchased from the University of Virginia, refurbished and repainted in Chase green along with the School’s best Vespoli racing shell.

These added boats have allowed the Chase Rowing Teams to grow from 15 students last year to 24 students today and the racing pedigree of these shells has allowed the School to compete with more efficiency and success than ever. What is most special about these boats, however, is that they were made possible through an act of extraordinary kindness and generosity by Dr. William A. Petit, Jr., father of Hayley ’07 and Michaela ’14 and husband of Jennifer Hawke-Petit.

“As rowing grew more popular at the School we knew that we needed some additional boats so that all the kids who wanted to row got that chance,” says Lincoln, “The question was, ‘How can we best fund this growth of the program?’”

Having taught Hayley during her time at Chase, Lincoln knew that she rowed during her four years at Miss Porter’s and that she was planning to row at Dartmouth. “In the back of my mind I would always think about Hayley when we were putting the boats in the water,

and so I decided to write a letter to Dr. Petit asking if he would consider helping the program in memory of Jennifer, Hayley, and Michaela.”

Touched and honored by the request, Dr. Petit agreed without hesitation to provide the necessary funding. Lincoln recalls, “We were truly moved by his generosity. When I realized that we could now not only purchase two boats but also refurbish a third, it became clear that we could honor each woman with her own boat. Everything suddenly fell into place and I thought to myself, ‘This just seems like the most natural thing in the world.’”

At a moving lakeside ceremony on May 12, these three boats were christened the Michaela Rose Petit, the Hayley Elizabeth Petit, and the Jennifer Hawke-Petit. “The naming of these three boats is a wonderful memorial to them,” says Dr. Petit. “The crew at Chase can enjoy their time on the water and know that they are partially rowing in honor of the memories of Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela whose kindness, idealism, and activism represented all the best qualities in students and parents from Chase.”

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Dr. Petit and the inspired leadership of Lincoln Turner, countless Chase students, with oars in their hands and the sun on their faces, will have the opportunity to take to the water in these boats, experience the beauty of rowing, and honor the memories of three beloved and astonishing women.

Alumni Gather at CBS StudiosChase alumni, teachers, and friends enjoyed a wonderful evening at CBS Studios this November. Kindly arranged by Chris Licht ’89, VP of News Programing at CBS, guests were treated to a lovely reception, a private tour of the studios, and the chance to meet CBS Evening News host Scott Pelley.

The Jennifer Hawke-Petit and the Hayley Elizabeth Petit on the lake.

The Girls’ Varsity team during practice.

speCial gifts

Parents Step Forward to Provide Valuable Technology to the Classrooms

McTernan Alumnus, Hi Upson ’46, Leading McTernan Centennial Campaign

Chase acquired its first Smart Board in 2005 – a lifetime ago in the context of hi-tech development – when the technology was still in its infancy and one Board ran upwards of $10,000. “The School has always tried to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances, especially when that technology can bolster what’s happening in the classroom,” says Scott Temple, Chase’s Director of Technology. “It is such a thrill to see so many parents stepping forward to ensure that Chase is able to continue realizing our goal of maintaining an advanced campus.”

Indeed, this year has seen a tremendous outpouring of support from Chase parents who have provided various exciting new technology to the students. Four Smart Boards and seven iPads were donated for use in the Lower School; six Smart Boards were donated for use in the Middle School; two Smart Boards and math technology were donated for use in the Upper School. All across campus, parents have been making the difference.

Driven by the knowledge that Chase thrives on the generosity of parents and alumni, Josh ’97 and Lucy Kampf, led the efforts to secure Smart Boards for each of the 1st Grade classrooms. “Both Lucy and I were so excited when we saw a Smart Board installed in our son’s Pre-K classroom last fall,” recalls Josh, “and we were even more excited when we saw just how much it expanded his teacher’s capabilities and improved the learning experience of the whole class. With a daughter in 1st Grade, we immediately thought to ourselves ‘We need to make sure that those classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards too.’”

Together with two other 1st Grade families, Michael and Michelle Azrin and Thomas ’89 and Kathleen Harte, Josh and Lucy were able to secure ¾ of the funds needed to purchase the two Smart Boards. To raise the additional funds Josh drafted a letter to his fellow 1st Grade parents and the response was overwhelming. “I was so ecstatic over how incredibly generous every family was towards this project. If you’re sending your children to Chase it means that you place a high value on education, and this just reinforced that.”

These Smart Boards, with the ability for students to manipulate the sophisticated images on the screen, allow the students to “play an active role in their education instead of a passive role,” remarks Carlos Rodrigues. As both a Trustee and a current parent, Carlos sees technology as a clear priority for the School in fulfilling its mission. This past year, Carlos and his wife, Jennifer, donated seven Apple iPads for use

by the Lower School teachers. This tremendous gift was wholly inspired by seeing the educational potential of the iPads first hand. “We have an iPad at home, and I remember watching my daughter doing math problems over the weekend and having so much fun. With many of these educational games there’s an immediate reward that makes the

children want to not only continue playing, but be sure that they get the correct answer.”

Delivered in February, the iPads came installed with an initial suite of 15 educational applications – or apps – that were evaluated and chosen by the Lower School teachers in coordination with the Assistant Director of Technology Andrew Hadam ’05. “To make sure that all teachers were familiar and fluent in each of the apps we set aside a few hours during a recent professional development day to go through and explore their capabilities,” explains Andrew.

Like these Lower School parents, Lisa Moisan, Chair of the 8th Grade Class Gift Committee, sees technology as a tangible enhancement of the students’ experiences and a truly beneficial way to expand the educational possibilities for the teachers. With Lisa at the helm, the 8th Grade families came together and raised the funds to purchase six Smart Boards for the Middle School. “Both as a school and as parents, we are committed to teaching the kids in a way that relates to them. For us these kinds of technologies would be confusing, to them they’re second nature,” remarks Lisa.

In addition to brand new devices like Smart Boards and iPads, there is technology that can

enhance the equipment that’s already in the classroom. This fall, the Upper School students will be able to take advantage of a program called TI Navigator, donated by parents Kevin and Yvonne Grimes, which will let students wirelessly connect their calculators to a classroom network. “This connectivity will allow us to see what each of our students is doing on their calculators,” explains Upper School Math Department Chair, Cheryl Tokarski. “It will also allow any student’s calculator to be projected on the Smart Board, allowing the class to walk through a particular problem together.”

“With all this amazing new equipment on campus it’s a very exciting time to be both a student and a Technology Director,” Scott Temple says, with a laugh. “Don’t worry though, that first Smart Board still has a home and we use it every day.”

By the time he was 25 years old, Hi Upson ’46 had attended McTernan School, Westminster School, Yale College, and the University of Virginia School of Law. Today, he supports each one with his time and his treasure. He served on the Westminster Board of Trustees, and currently holds a spot on the Chase Board, as well as the McTernan Anniversary Steering Committee and the McTernan Campaign Committee. He sends an annual gift to each institution and is a member of Chase’s Copper Beech Society, indicating that Hi has made a provision for Chase in his estate plans.

These are simply examples of Hi applying a lesson he learned as a child, “I feel that there is a duty to give back.” Born during the heart of the Great Depression and raised during World War II, Hi spent his most formative years subject to wartime rationing

and the pervasive national mindset of working together towards the greater good. “Everyone was pulling on the oar at the same time,” remarks Hi, “and I sort of gained through osmosis that there was an obligation for everyone to help.” Applying these

lessons while at McTernan, Hi and his classmates often spent days walking around Waterbury collecting scrap metal, and in 1943 they began publishing and selling McTernan’s first school newspaper, Monkey Shines, as a means of raising money for the war effort. The cost for the March 1945 issue: 25 cents.

Though Hi supports other types of institutions, including Waterbury’s Mattatuck Museum, his natural inclination has always been to provide for schools. As Hi describes it, “My education has been the most transformative aspect of my life, and my hope is that today’s students can benefit from their education the same way that I benefitted from mine.” McTernan specifically holds a special place in his heart.

“Until third grade my parents had me enrolled in a small Watertown school, the curriculum of which included milking cows and planting crops. Of course, these lessons were a great deal of fun for a young boy, but none of them were very practical for someone eventually bound for law school. After a few years my parents came to their senses and enrolled me at McTernan School.” It wasn’t until he arrived at McTernan, though, that he realized just how far behind he was. Entering in the third grade, Hi could neither read nor write.

He credits two McTernan teachers, Mr. George Cashman and Mr. Berkeley Hotchkiss, with his successful transition. “These gentlemen energized and inspired everyone they ever taught, and I know that without them I would never have been able to get into Westminster. That’s exactly how I feel about the current crop of teachers at Chase; they change lives every day.”

Just like those teachers, Hi helps to change lives every day by providing for Chase and ensuring a bright future for the School. At this year’s Annual Alumni Luncheon and Award Ceremony on May 5, Hi proudly accepted this year’s McTernan Medal for his continued service to the School and the community.

“All across campus, parents have been making the difference.”

Kindergarten Smart Board – Pre-K 4 and Kindergarten Families

The 1st Grade Smart Boards – 1st Grade Families

2nd Grade Smart Board, Seven iPads and Accessories – LS Parents, Carlos and Jennifer Rodrigues

Six Middle School Smart Boards – 8th Grade Families

Upper School TI Navigator Technology – MS and US Parents, Kevin and Yvonne Grimes

Two Math Smart Boards for Upper School Math Classrooms – MS and US Parents, Doug and Kim Harrison

Hi Upson ’46, Trustee and McTernan Centennial Campaign Chair, at Alumni Day 2011.

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Cornerstone Campaign news

ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE565 Chase ParkwayWaterbury, CT 06708

(203) 236-9550

www.chasecollegiate.org

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPERMIT No. 13

Waterbury CT, 06708

Every Student, Every Day ChallengeA Fundraising Challenge to Provide for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Students

Two devoted families have issued a special matching gift challenge designed to foster excellence at every level of Chase Collegiate School. Proud of our past, motivated by today’s leadership and focused on our future, Carol and Lem Sperry ’36 and George and Mary Giguere will match, $1 for $1, all gifts donated and/or pledged to the School by June 30, 2012 up to $1,500,000. Their amazing generosity promises to invest in tomorrow’s students, if your gifts and pledges care for today’s students.

Every student matters and every gift makes a difference.

Challenge Gifts and Pledges Received ..............$865,868Challenge Gifts and Pledges Needed ...............$634,132 by June 30, 2012

The $3,000,000 donated through the Every Student, Every Day challenge will successfully complete Cornerstone Campaign Two, a $15 million capital campaign.

Challenge Contingent $1,500,000 + Challenge Match $1,500,000

$3,000,000