Hathaway Brown senior Alice Catanzaro was named a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search, formerly called the Westinghouse. She is one of only two students – and the only girl – in the state of Ohio to receive this honor. She has been awarded a $1,000 prize for herself and another $1,000 for HB.

Catanzaro was recognized for her research at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Engineering Electronic Design Center, with Dr. Chung Chiun Liu as her mentor. She has worked for four years to develop a microelectrochemical biosensor for improved, faster, easier, and less expensive detection of cholesterol.

She will present her work at the American Academy for the Advancement of Science in Boston in February, and also was previously a finalist at the international science fair I-SWEEEP in Houston in 2012, where she won second place, a silver medal, and a cash award.

Hathaway Brown has been honored recently with some terrific stories in media outlets across the country. 

Independent School magazine is the leading journal for educators in HB's field, published by the National Association of Independent Schools. In its Winter 2013 issue, renowned psychologist and child development expert Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair writes a story called "Got Grit?," which prominently features HB. The piece chronicles the school's efforts to make social and emotional learning, character development, intellectual exploration, and self-discovery core elements of every student’s education. Click here to read the story in its entirety.

Over Winter Break, the Blazer Varsity Basketball team was invited to participate in the Holiday Shootout in Naples, Florida. This is one of the country’s most prestigious high school girls’ tournaments, limited to teams that have been ranked in the top 25 nationally. HB's girls and their coaches did a beautiful job on this highly competitive national stage, ultimately finishing as Runner-Up and upsetting the Number Two-ranked team and last year’s champion, Whitney Young High School from Chicago. The tenacity of the Blazers was lauded on the front page of the Naples Daily News sports section through the duration of the tournament, but one especially notable article focused on the team’s academic prowess. You can read that story here. 

40 percent of all regional awards given to HB students

Twenty-three HB Upper School students earned 45 commendations from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a longstanding, highly competitive local and national visual and literary arts competition. Forty-two writing awards and three arts awards were earned by HB ninth through 12th graders this year, including three Gold Keys, five Silver Keys, and 37 Honorable Mentions. This accounts for more than 40 percent of all 96 writing awards distributed in the region. The written work of the Gold Key winners will go on to New York for judging in the national exhibit in the spring.

Congratulations to HB’s awarded students:

Isabelle Arnson '13: Gold Key, personal essay; Silver Key, poetry
Riya Jagetia '14: Gold Key, personal essay
Isabella Nilsson '16: Gold Key, flash fiction; three Honorable Mentions, fiction

Michelle Chapman '13: Silver Key, poetry
Michele Zhou '14: Silver Key, personal essay; Honorable Mention, poetry
Dhiksha Balaji '14: Silver Key, personal essay
Zoe Harvan '13: Silver Key persuasive essay, three Honorable Mentions personal essay, Honorable Mention portfolio

Honorable Mentions: Alden Cowap '13 (poetry), Danielle Frankel '13 (poetry and animated video), Caroline Jobson '16 (poetry, flash fiction, persuasive essay), Sylvia Krebs '13 (poetry), Hannah Margolis '13 (poetry, short story), Stephanie Poland '13 (poetry), Grace Yi '13 (poetry), Olivia Julian '13 (personal essay), Mary Alice Koon '13 (personal essay), Aparna Narendrula '14 (personal essay, persuasive writing),   (personal essay), Katie Everett '13 (flash fiction), Joyce Guo '13 (three for short stories, one for portfolio), Brenna Scully '13 (two for persuasive essays, one for portfolio), Jessie Adkins '13 (comic), Charlotte Zale '13 (comic)

Hathaway Brown's Middle School Junior Model United Nations team participated in a two-day competition sponsored by the Cleveland Council of World Affairs this week at John Carroll University. Throughout the course of the event, 48 HB seventh and eighth graders debated and resolved global issues. Additionally, several girls were honored with an array of awards for their leadership and committee contributions.

Congratulations to eighth graders Nell Bruckner (International Law Commission - Superior Award representing Ghana; Gavel Award for Superior Leadership), Nina Cywinska (Unhabitat - Excellent Award representing United Kingdom), Margaret Broihier (UN Peace Building Commission - Honorable Mention representing Libya), Lina Ghosh (UN Peace Building Commission - Superior Award representing China), Lauren Gillinov (UN Peace Building Commission - Superior Award representing China), Carly Wellener (International Labor Organization - Honorable Mention representing Italy), Julia Sabik (International Labor Organization - Excellent Award representing Pakistan), Hannah Keyerleber (UN Human Rights Council - Honorable Mention representing Pakistan), and Graci Homany (Security Council - Honorable Mention representing United Kingdom).

Congratulations go out as well to seventh graders Sophie Sacks (International Law Commission - Superior Award representing Ghana),  Dani Murthy (Unhabitat - Excellent Award representing United Kingdom), Emma Borrow (International Labor Organization - Honorable Mention representing Italy), Olivia Watterson (International Labor Organization - Excellent Award representing Pakistan), Sarah Grube (UN Human Rights Council - Honorable Mention representing Pakistan), and Maddie Krist (Security Council - Honorable Mention representing United Kingdom). 

Bridgette Nadzam-Kasubick, Middle School History teacher and Seventh Grade Dean, serves as the advisor to HB's Model UN team, along with Middle School History Department Chair Jason Habig and Jen Orbash.

Michele Zhou '14 earned the highest composite score possible on the ACT exam. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, with each test scored on a scale of 1-36. A student's composite score is the average of the four test scores.

Typically less than one-tenth of one percent of all test takers achieve this impressive accomplishment. Among the high school graduating class of 2012, more than 1.6 million graduates took the ACT, with just 781 of those students earning a top score.

Congratulations, Michele!

Hathaway Brown junior Dhikshitha Balaji of Chagrin Falls has earned a perfect composite score of 2400 on the SAT. Administered by The College Board, the SAT is the nation’s most widely used college admission test. It’s taken by roughly 2 million students every year and is accepted by virtually all colleges and universities.

Each section of the SAT (critical reading, mathematics and writing) is scored on a 200- to 800-point scale, for a possible total of 2400. Earning a perfect score on the test is quite a rare feat. In 2012, of more than 1.6 million test takers, only 360 (.022%) were able to achieve this distinction.

Congratulations, Dhikshitha!

Congratulations to the Hathaway Brown seniors who won major awards at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in Phoenix and the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad( I-SWEEEP) held in Houston in recent weeks.

At ISEF, Gurbani Kaur won a Second Place Grand Award, $1500, and also will have a minor planet named in her honor. Her research is conducted at the Biomedical Engineering Department at Case Western Reserve University, on the topic of targeted drug delivery. Gurbani was also a Siemens Regional Finalist, and presented her work at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in Boston in February. In the same competition, Ingrid Zippe won the American Physiological Association Second Place Award and $1000. Her research is at CWRU School of Medicine in the field of Neuroscience. Ingrid was also a Siemens Semifinalist, and presented her work at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in Boston in February.

At I-SWEEEP, Aly Bryan won a Silver Medal and a cash award of several hundred dollars. Her research is conducted at the CWRU School of Medicine Infectious Disease Department, on the topic of malaria control. Aly is also a 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholar and a Siemens Semifinalist. Joyce Guo won a Bronze Medal and several hundred dollars. Her research is conducted in the CWRU Physics Department on the topic of liquid crystals.

All students attended these events as Finalists, having earned this status through rigorous judging at the Hathaway Brown School ISEF Affiliate Science Fair.

Also attending ISEF as a finalist was Lena Ransohoff, who was a Siemens Semifinalist and who presented her research at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting in New Orleans in October. Lena conducts research at the Cleveland Clinic in the field of neuroscience.

More than 120 students in grades 9-12 enrolled in HB’s renowned elective Science Research & Engineering Program took part in the school’s ISEF Affiliate Science Fair. The girls displayed their cutting-edge research conducted under the mentorship of leading professionals at CWRU, CWRU School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, NASA Glenn Research Center, and other area institutions. 

Hathaway Brown 12th grader Gurbani Kaur was lauded by The Plain Dealer for her "limitless curiosity" and named one of 10 Senior Standouts in Northeast Ohio for 2013.

A special feature about her was published in the newspaper on Sunday, May 19. The profile notes her many achievements and accolades and describes the enthusiasm with which she faces every project:

"Gurbani, 18, who is bound for Harvard in the fall, seems to handle the rigors of academia with no sweat, no matter how high she piles her plate. She is a National Merit Scholar, a regional finalist in the Siemens math, science and technology competition and has been awarded national honors for debate and science."

Among other things she's accomplished during her high school career, Gurbani has served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, is poetry editor of HB's literary magazine and president of the Math Club. She also is the president of STAMP, the school's disability awareness association, and founded Hathaway Brown's diversity training for third-graders.

Senior Standouts is a program administered by The Plain Dealer and Medical Mutual of Ohio. It is now in its 11th year. Public and private high schools in Northeast Ohio are invited to nominate outstanding students for this recognition. Each of the 10 winners receives a $500 scholarship from Medical Mutual and another $250 scholarship from The Plain Dealer.

More than 130 high schools each nominated one outstanding senior, based on academic achievement, leadership and community service.

Plain Dealer editors and reporters narrowed the field to 23 finalists. A panel of judges chosen from the community had the difficult task of selecting the 10 winners.

This year's judges were: Barbara Berry, director of the Upward Bound program at Baldwin Wallace University; Judi Feniger, executive director of the Gordon Square Arts District; Robert McCullough, director of admissions at Case Western Reserve University; Antoine D. Moss, author, motivational speaker and contributor to BlackEnterprise.com; and Michael Schwartz, the retired president of Cleveland State University.

Hathaway Brown is honored to have had students recognized as Senior Standouts almost every year that the program has been run. Read the full profile about Gurbani and explore the Senior Standouts archive here. 

Three Hathaway Brown seniors have received National Merit Scholarships. National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Gurbani Kaur '13, Grace Yi '13 and Tatini Mal-Sarkar '13 all plan to study medicine in college. Congratulations to these outstanding students on this terrific achievement and best wishes to them in the future. 

As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the Ohio Affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) recognized four Hathaway Brown School students for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology in a ceremony at TechColumbus on May 11.

Juniors Lauren Dierker, Allie Dumas, and Grace Phillips, and freshman Isabella Nilsson were honored as winners of the Ohio Affiliate NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. There are 25 Ohio girls who were recognized this year.

This is the first time in Ohio that four students from a single school have been winners in the same year.

"With technology jobs projected to grow faster than all other job sectors in the next decade, it’s imperative that we nurture the computing aspirations of women, who will make up half the professional workforce," said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Cofounder of NCWIT. "This award allows us to recognize and encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked."

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was created to encourage the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities in the field, and generate visibility for women’s participation in technology fields. Winners are acknowledged for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.

This year’s Ohio award event was sponsored by Microsoft, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Google, Muskingum University, and Tech Corps.

About NCWIT
NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a non-profit coalition of over 200 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to improve U.S. innovation, competitiveness, and workforce sustainability by increasing women's participation in IT. NCWIT's work spans K-12 and higher education through industry and academic careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.

Hathaway Brown School has named Jennifer Creech new Head Varsity Girls Golf Coach. Creech is a native of North Royalton, Ohio. She graduated from North Royalton High School where she earned varsity letters in basketball, softball and golf. She continued her education at the University of South Alabama where she earned a golf scholarship and played for four years on the Lady Jaguars team. At South Alabama, she was a First Team All-Conference selection all four years, winning multiple Division I events. In 2012, she was elected to the University of South Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame.

After graduating from college, Creech worked at Mayfield Country Club and obtained her PGA Class A Certification in 2004. She has worked at Mayfield CC as well as Sand Ridge Golf Club for 13 seasons as a teaching assistant. She now works at The Country Club in Pepper Pike. She is married to Matt Creech, Head Professional at Sand Ridge GC, and has two sons. The family resides in Chardon, Ohio.

The Blazers finished as the OHSAA Division II District Runner Up last season, and the team finished fifth overall in the 2012 OHSAA Division II State Tournament.

Hathaway Brown fourth grade students worked this year with Primary School Techology Teacher Carole Lechleitner to create posters for a contest administered by the Ohio Office of Information Technology and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center. The Kids Safe Online Poster competition was open to all public, private and home-schooled students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students' submissions were evaluated for their Creativity & Originality, Poster Concept, and Visual Clarity.

One of Lechleitner's students, fourth grader Jessica Chang, was judged a winner for her work illustrating what can happen when you don't take necessary precautions to safeguard your private information online. Her poster, along with 14 other Ohio finalists' work, will now be considered for a national prize. Winners of the national contest will have their artwork included in a 2014 MS-ISAC Cyber Security Calendar. 

Learn more about the program and view all of the Ohio finalists' posters here. 

Congratulations, Jessica!

Maddie Stambler '13, Isabelle Arnson '13 and the rest of the senior class created a moving film to document their time at Hathaway Brown and to thank the school for helping them to become the amazing, empowered young women they are today.

Commencement for the Class of 2013 will take place on Friday, June 7. We wish our 81 newest graduates the best of luck wherever life takes them from here. We'll certainly miss seeing them in the halls every day, but Hathaway Brown will always be their home.

If you can't see the video above, please copy and paste this URL into your computer's browser: http://youtu.be/ZiLSrS-HbgY.

The works of Rodgers and Hammerstein have amazed and enthralled audiences for decades. Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute (HBTI) is transporting audiences back to 1862 Siam with the Tony Award-winning classic The King and I, playing July 12 through July 21, 2013. This captivating and timeless treasure of wills, wits and wisdom has been enchanting audiences for over 60 years. Set against an exotic background, The King and I is the moving true story of a young English widow and her son who travel to Siam to tutor the King’s children. The lush Rodgers and Hammerstein score includes “Getting to Know You,” “Shall We Dance,” “I Whistle A Happy Tune,” “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” and “Hello, Young Lovers.”

The production features a cast of 45 students ages 6-20, including Klara Hricik (Shaker Heights) as Anna, Jerry Shepherd (Cleveland) as The King, Lauryn Hobbs (Shaker Heights) as Tuptim, Mark Oet (Solon) as Lun Tha, Christina Ciofani (University Heights) as Lady Thiang and Neil Kelly (Beachwood) as The Kralahome. All the members of the cast are students of the newly formed Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute and hail from the entire Northeast Ohio region - Avon to Medina to Painesville.

The King and I will be directed by Fred Sternfeld. Mr. Sternfeld’s most recent production featuring children and teens, Les Miserables: School Edition, won a Broadwayworld.com award as “best musical revival” in the Cleveland region for 2011. Sternfeld, whose numerous and award-winning directing credits include Yellowman (Karamu), A Little Night Music (FPAC), Ragtime, the musical (JCC/Tri C), Fiddler on the Roof (Cain Park) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Beck Center), is also the Executive Artistic Director of HBTI. “Our large cast, featuring some of the area’s most talented young people, are doing an amazing job at rehearsals finding the nuances of this beautiful and moving piece,” says an enthusiastic Mr. Sternfeld. The production staff also includes Bebe Weinberg Katz as choreographer and costume designer, Elaine Siegel as music director, Ron Newell as set designer, Scott Chapman as light designer and Carlton Guc as sound designer.

In addition to The King and I, HBTI will be producing the musical theatre phenomenon Jekyll & Hyde from August 9-18, directed by Bob Russell.

The Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute was created by the Performing Arts Department of the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights for students 1st grade – college. Mr. Sternfeld says, “At HBTI, training is our focus. As educators for the arts our emphasis is on the process the performer goes through. Our goal is to supply our students with the tools to succeed in any audition or performance situation.” HBTI is offering three sessions (June 17-July 5, July 8-26 and July 29-August 9; Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:30pm) that will consist of coursework in drama, dance and music. HBTI has been created to give young people interested in the performing arts a place to get high level training from working artists and professional level production experiences.

Visit www.hb.edu for complete description of dates, courses and registration as well as a listing of HB's many other summer offerings.

Performances for The King and I will be Fridays and Saturdays, July 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 7:30pm and Sundays July 14 and 21 at 2:00pm at Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122. Tickets range from $10-15 and can be purchased online at www.hb.edu/tickets, by calling 216-932-4214 x7270 or at the door (if available) the day of the performance.

The Avogadro exam is given to students who have completed no more than 100 hours of instruction in chemistry. Hathaway Brown had a record high six students score in the top five percent on the exam this year.

Congratulations to Upper School Science Teacher Don Southard, and to the following rising HB seniors, who will receive a prize and certificate in the fall and their names will be listed in the September issue of CHEM 13 NEWS Magazine:

Megan Callanan
Nicole Chesnokov
Riya Jagetia
Grace Li
Susie Min
Aparna Narendrula

The MBS Virtual Bookstore is now open. Log on using your daughter's schedule and purchase her books for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year. The MBS website is http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/hb.htm. You can also order by phone at 1.800.325.3252, but please note the prices will be slightly higher. All purchases of $99 or more made July 8 through July 21, 2013 ONLY will receive free UPS Ground Shipping.

MBS Direct will be able to answer any questions you may have by calling 1.800.325.3252, but if you run into any difficulty, feel free to contact Regina Gray at Hathaway Brown by calling 216.320.8105 or email rgray@hb.edu.

HATHAWAY BROWN THEATRE INSTITUTE
concludes inaugural production season with “JEKYLL & HYDE,” the gothic musical

After four years on Broadway and multiple international tours, Jekyll & Hyde will conclude the Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute’s (HBTI) inaugural season. This haunting and thrilling musical will run August 9 - 18, 2013 at the Hathaway Brown School. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” this evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil is centered around a brilliant doctor whose experiments go awry; unleashing a murderous counterpart. The chilling score includes classics songs such as, “This is the Moment,” “Someone Like You,” “In His Eyes” and “Once Upon a Dream.”

The production will feature students from the newly formed Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute, including Adam Hass-Hill (Chagrin Falls) as Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde, Leah Saltzer (Solon) as Lucy Harris, Klara Hricik (Shaker Heights) as Emma Carew, Neil Kelly (Beachwood) as Gabrielle John Utterson and Collin Husbands (Medina) as Sir Danvers Carew.

Performances for Jekyll & Hyde will be Fridays and Saturdays, August 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays August 11 and 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122. Tickets range from $10-15 and can be purchased online at www.hb.edu/tickets, by calling 216.932.4214 ext. 7270 or at the door (if available) the day of the performance.

Jekyll & Hyde will be directed by Bob Russell. The Director of Acting Studies with HBTI, Russell also is an Adjunct Faculty member with Kent State University’s Department of Theatre & Dance. Additionally, he is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. He has acted and directed regionally in Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. “The cast is doing a phenomenal job,” Russell says. “It has been a pleasure to work with this incredible group of performers and audiences are in for a real treat with this gothic thriller.” The production staff also includes John Krol as music director, Bebe Weinberg Katz as choreographer, Scott Chapman as scenic and lighting designer, Sarah Russell as costume designer, Carlton Guc as sound designer and HBTI Executive Artistic Director Fred Sternfeld as producer.

The Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute was created by the Performing Arts Department of the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights for students in first grade through college. HBTI is offering three summer sessions (June 17-July 5, July 8-26 and July 29-August 9; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) that consist of coursework in drama, dance, and music. HBTI has been created to give young people interested in the performing arts a place to get high-level training from working artists and professional-level production experiences.

Visit www.hb.edu/summer for complete description of dates, courses and registration as well as a listing of HB's many other summer offerings.

81 HB graduates and current students were recently recognized as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars. The distinction is given to high school students who have consistently demonstrated college-level achievement through AP exams.

To qualify as an AP scholar, the student must receive a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. Special distinctions are also given to students with high average scores over four or more exams.

The 81 students honored included 29 AP Scholars (3 or higher on three or more exams), 23 AP Scholars with Honor (average score of 3.25 over four or more exams), 29 AP Scholars with Distinction (3.5 average score over five or more exams), and 5 National AP Scholars (average score of 4 with 4s on eight or more exams). The group averaged a 4.19 score per test.

The students from each grouping are listed below.

AP Scholars

AP Scholars with Honor

AP Scholars With Distinction

National AP Scholars

Congratulations to the girls for their remarkable achievements!