December 17, 2021   Hello, Friends,  Happy holidays to you and your families! As we approach the year’s end, I am grateful that, despite the many challenges we faced, we shared many successes and joyful moments together too.

Young Leaders gather Alixandra Rutnik ‘15 and Alydaar Rangwala ’11 hosted a gathering for young New York City-based alumni/ae at Valerie on West 45th Street this past Thursday evening. Ali and Alydaar serve as co-chairs of our new Young Leaders Program, aimed at keeping graduates from the classes of 2006-2021 engaged with the Academies. It was a lovely evening, and many great connections were made. Included in the photo are Stefan Kuhar '12 and Andrew Soldini '15. If you are interested in participating in the Young Leaders Program, contact Development Coordinator Sarah Adamowski at adamowskis@albanyacademies.org

Affinity Group Chairs meet with students On December 13, Alumni & Alumnae of Color Affinity Group Chairs Evril Clayton, Jr. ’00 and Jeannine Blanco ’89 met with the Students of Color Affinity Group at Albany Academy for Girls. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss a mentorship program and other ways to connect students with alumni and alumnae. These groups were formed earlier in 2021 to help us meet one of our goals of our 2019-2024 strategic plan to “Nurture an intentionally diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning community that promotes academic excellence, enriches the school, and enhances the experience of every learner.”

Visit to Washington, D.C. productive I traveled to Washington, D.C. this week with Head of School Chris Lauricella to visit with alumni/ae Chris Ashley '05, Steve Ranney '63, Kevin Avery '80, and Karen Avery '83 (pictured here). The trip was a wonderful opportunity to share the latest news about the Academies with them and to get their thoughts on current issues and projects. More visits are planned for the coming months!

Class of 1951 AAG reunites on Zoom Carol Conners O'Brien '51, Phyllis Lavine Berk '51, and Mary Hammes Corbin '51 spent a delightful hour and fifteen minutes reminiscing via Zoom last week during their virtual 70th Reunion. The three alumnae spent the time remembering classmates no longer with us and catching up with other news and memories. They also discussed the importance of AAG in their lives, not only because of the superior education they received but also because of the values imparted and retained. "All in all, it was a wonderful, heartwarming, though small, Reunion, said Phyllis." If you'd like assistance arranging a Zoom meeting with your classmates, please contact Manager of Annual Fund and Donor Relations Joanne DelCarpine at delcarpinej@albanyacademies.org or call 518-429-2391.

Faculty and staff treated at annual luncheon The Albany Academies Parents Association hosted its annual holiday luncheon for our professional community on Tuesday, December 14. The AAPA hosts this luncheon each year to show their thanks for everything The Albany Academies faculty and staff do for our students. It’s become a favorite holiday tradition!

Recent performances showcased students’ talents We are very proud of our students who recently showcased all their hard work at our winter performances. On December 3, the Lower School hosted its winter music performance in Caird Chapel, and on December 8, our Middle and Upper School students performed in their winter music concert and visual art webinar. This virtual event included grades 5/6 Concert Band, Boys Chorus, and Girls Chorus; grades 7/8 Symphonic Band, Boys Chorus, and Girls Chorus; and also featured the Upper School’s Instrumental Music and Visual Art Show. Our little ones from Pre-K and Kindergarten took to the auditorium stage on December 10 to perform in person for family members at their winter concert. The show was filled with singing, dancing, and a lot of smiles. Also, on December 15 our grades 5/6 AAG Dance, Dance as a Sport, and Upper School Dance groups performed.

Class of 1970 Pavilion coming along Work on The Class of 1970 Pavilion is coming along nicely, and we hope it will be completed by early 2022. You may recall that, in celebration of its 50th reunion last year, The Albany Academy Class of 1970 made a pledge to raise more than $220,000 to fund the design and construction of a timber-framed pavilion for special events held on the campus -- and they exceeded their goal! The project honors the class’ legacy at the school and will provide outdoor classroom space for current students, a venue for annual events such as Reunion and Commencement, and a place for summer campers to engage in camp activities outdoors. Pictured here are Lewis Muhlfelder '70 and Frank Slingerland '70 who stopped by this week to check out the progress of the project.

Not too early to think about Reunion Don’t forget to reserve the dates on your calendar now and plan to attend Reunion 2022, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21. It’s a great time to share old memories and create new ones.

Golf Simulator becomes a reality The AA and AAG golf programs have achieved much success over many years. Both Coach Bestle and Coach Adamowski have been recognized in the Capital Region and the teams have earned many accolades and awards. Purchasing a golf simulator to have on campus has been a dream of the coaches for many years. It's finally becoming a reality, thanks to the alumni, current and past parents who made a gift to help raise more than $65,000 to purchase the golf simulator and renovate a room in the Michael B. Picotte Field House. Thank you! If you are interested in making a gift, please contact me.

Holiday breakfast to honor our seniors An annual holiday tradition for our seniors is to serve them breakfast before they leave for break. Administration and faculty, including our college counselors Jennifer Poole, Jak Bestle, and our AAG librarian Amy Pass (all pictured), joined the students this morning to wish them well as they take time off with family for the holiday break.

A Holiday Treat For the holidays this year, our students and our Fine Arts department put together a holiday performance video for our alumni and alumnae at the Beverwyck! Follow the link to watch. https://youtu.be/b2L21RDIPxs.

Annual Fund -- We are stronger together With the last two weeks of 2021 upon us, I hope you will consider making a donation to our Annual Fund. Your support of the school and our students makes much of what we do possible. Please visit our giving page to make a donation using Venmo, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or a credit card give.albanyacademies.org/campaigns/annual-fund or mail a check to the school postmarked by December 31. Thank you all so much for your support during these extraordinary times. We are truly Stronger Together.

Sending you my very best wishes for the happiest of holidays and for much prosperity in 2022!

Sincerely,

Ann Wendth Chief Advancement Officer