Dana Hall School is preparing to welcome newly admitted students to Dana Days and Discover Dana, programs designed to share the Dana Hall experience with girls who have been accepted for the 2010-11 school year.

Newly admitted Upper School students and their parents are invited to spend the day at Dana Hall on Thursday, April 1 or Tuesday, April 6. While parents learn more about Dana’s programs and offerings, students will attend classes with a student hostess, talk with teachers, meet future classmates, and experience campus life.

Newly admitted Middle School students and their parents are invited to Discover Dana, an evening at Dana Hall on Monday, April 5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. They will have the opportunity to visit classrooms, meet current middle schoolers and teachers, and participate in activities.

“These programs provide wonderful opportunities for students to get a real insider’s view of Dana Hall,” said Director of Admission and Financial Aid Wendy Secor. “We hope many of our newly accepted students will plan to attend, so they can begin to picture themselves as part of the Dana community.”

Accepted students received an invitation to Dana Days with their acceptance package; please return the response card by March 29 or register online at http://danadays.danahall.org. For more information please contact the Admission Office at (781) 235-3010 ext. 2202.

Dana Hall athletic teams completed another successful winter season with several individuals being honored for their hard work.

Varsity Swimming coach Matt Craven was named Eastern Independent League (EIL) Coach of the Year as his squad went undefeated with an overall record of 10-0-1, placed first in the EIL with a league record of 9-0-1, and participated in the New England Tournament for the first time in school history placing 18th. EIL All-League honors went to C. Chutrakul ’11, L. Davis ’11, M. Hirabayashi ’12, M. Kelly ’11, S. Mehlam ’12, L. Mullaney ’11 and C. Vega ’13. Kelly was named Most Valuable Player, Mullaney received Rookie of the Year, and Most Improved Player went to K. Schimmel ’12.

Varsity Basketball won Pool B of the EIL Tournament, and ended the season with an overall record of 10-9. EIL All-League honors went to C. Cramer ’10, who also was named Best Offensive Player. M. Murphy ’12 received an EIL All-League Honorable Mention, S. Gray ’10 was the recipient of the Best Defensive Player Award, and the Coaches Award went to M. Grip ’12.

Varsity Volleyball placed third in the EIL with an overall record of 11-7 and an EIL record of 6-3. EIL All-League awards went to A. Dean ’11, L. Joukowsky ’10 and A. Kozol ’10. All-League Honorable Mentions were given to D. Muggeridge ’12 and T. Witter ’11. A. Ginsberg ’10 was the recipient of the Best Offensive Player Award, the Coaches Award went to E. Palandjian ’13, and the Most Improved Player honor was given to K. van Amson ’12.

The Varsity Squash team concluded its season competing in the Class B Division New England Championships for the second year in a row and placed 14th. EIL All-League honors went to D. Donovan ’11. Most Valuable Player was given to A. Porter ’10, N. Casper ’12 was named Most Improved Player, and M. Hoar ’13 received Rookie of the Year.

At the Massachusetts State Championship, the Varsity Fencing team placed fourth in the women’s division. Most Valuable Player went to O. Rabe ’11, A. Cheung ’11 was the Most Improved Player, and A. Anderson ’11 was awarded Rookie of the Year.

Varsity Ice Hockey finished the season with a record of 7-7-1. J. Green ’12 was named Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Players were A. Corless ’13, and M. Quinn ’12 and E. Connolly ’15 earned Rookie of the Year.

On Wednesday, March 3, Dana Hall Upper School students attended Ship Day. An annual event, Ship Day was originally organized as a full day of games and physical activities in the Shipley Center, to provide students with a chance to unwind and refocus after the end of the second trimester. This year, however, Ship Day had a different focus and was dedicated to addressing mental health issues.

This year’s Ship Day was organized by Dana Hall’s 55 Peer Educators with help from faculty and staff. The idea to change the focus of Ship Day was brought up last year by the Peer Educators and members of Dana Hall’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) group. During the week leading up to Ship Day, Peer Educators explained to their classmates how Ship Day would run by making announcements in Morning Meeting and lining the hallways of The Shipley Center with posters encouraging students to be excited about the day.

Speaker Jordan Burnham opened the day by sharing his story about his secret battle with depression that culminated in his failed suicide attempt in 2008. Since his miraculous survival, Burnham speaks to students to educate them about depression, suicide and the changes people can make to help cope with their feelings. Burnham’s talk was followed by a panel of Dana students and parents who have dealt with depression. The group shared their personal stories with an emphasis on support, resources and how to help friends who are depressed. In the afternoon the students were entertained by actor/comedian John Morello as he performed his one-man show entitled “Dirt” a play of many characters with whom students can identify.

“The goal of Ship Day was to raise awareness about depression and break stereotypes about the types of people who may battle depression,” said Director of Athletics, Health and Wellness John Suby. “Ship Day was a great success and we have had an overwhelmingly positive response from students and parents. In the future, Ship Day will continue to educate about more serious health issues.”

On Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7, the Dana Hall Middle and Upper School Equestrian teams participated in the Regional competition for Region 2.

On Saturday, the Middle School team had an impressive performance and was named Middle School Region 2 Champions. L. Nashawaty ’16, R. Ohman ’15, F. Stufano ’14, H. Taft ’16 and S. Taft ’14 represented the Middle School in the team competition.

On Sunday, the Upper School team came from behind to clinch the Upper School Region 2 Championship. K. Figueroa ’10, J. Johnson ’12, E. Kenny ’12, E. Kim ’12 and L. Pagano ’11 represented the Upper School in the team competition.

“The other trainers and coaches and I are so proud of our girls for pulling off the double win,” said Riding Center Director Sarah Summers ’98. “We are looking forward to having both our teams represented at the Zone 1 Finals.”

In addition to the teams competing in the Zone Finals, 10 students have qualified for the Zones in their individual divisions. A. Bertelson ’13, K. Figueroa ’10, E. Jahrling ’12, E. Kenny ’12, E. Kim ’12, L. Nashawaty ’16, R. Ohman ’15, F. Stufano ’14, H. Taft ’16, S. Taft ’14 will compete at the Finals at Mount Holyoke March 27 and 28.

The Dana Hall Middle School will present the musical Working at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10 and at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 11 in Waldo Auditorium. The musical is open to the public and free of charge.

Working is based on the best-selling book by Studs Terkel, made up of interviews with American workers. The musical, which has a cast of 20 actresses, chronicles a day in the life of a number of American workers. Characters include a millworker, a trucker, a restaurant owner and an office worker.

Director Elisebeth Fenstermaker said “Our hope is that this production will renew in its cast, crew, and audience, a sense of admiration for every person’s contributions and pride in each of our talents and qualities.”

Waldo Auditorium is located in the Classroom Building on the Dana Hall campus. For directions please visit www.danahall.org or call (781) 235-3010. Find Dana Hall on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

The Dana Hall Dance Department presents Amalgam, a student/faculty dance concert, on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will take place in Bardwell Auditorium. Admission is $5 for the public and free for members of the Dana Hall community.

“The annual dance concert is the most exciting time of year for the students and me,” said Director of Dance Devon Fitchett. “We see the culmination of all our hard work, and the students’ talent and true passion come to life on stage.”

The concert will feature dances in ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical modern, and tap. Contributing faculty members are Fitchett and Steffanie R. White. Student choreographers include A. Baez ’12, K. Ellis ’12, A. MacGillivray ’13, M. Naylor ’12, M. Olney ’11, A. Pina ’10, C. Pina ’12, V. Robichaud ’12, S. Sutton ’10 and A. Man Ying Wong ’11.

Bardwell Auditorium is located at 37 Cameron Street in Wellesley. For more information please call (781) 235-3010 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Find Dana Hall on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

Dana Hall School sophomore and Wellesley resident Elizabeth Kenny was one of 12 equestrians age 21 and under selected to attend the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s (USHJA) Emerging Athletes National Training Session in Reno, Nevada January 8-10. The athletes spent three days devoted to their riding, horsemanship and stable management. Not only was Kenny selected out of the hundreds of riders who applied, at 16-years-old she also was one of the youngest.

Kenny began her equestrian career in first grade after the horses at a relative’s house sparked her interest. She began riding at the Dana Hall Riding Center in second grade and enrolled as a student at Dana in sixth grade. Last winter, Kenny sent a written application to the USHJA with the hope to be a part of the National Training Session. After making it through two preliminary rounds, she was on her way to Reno.

The Emerging Athletes Program aims to identify talented young riders and provide them with support and assistance so they may reach their full potential by creating a national program as a gateway to international competition.

Kenny described the three-day program as “tiring, long but fun. We attended a horsemanship seminar where we talked with a veterinarian about things that could injure our horse, worked with a member of the United States Olympic Equestrian team, competed in a Nations Cup competition and took a written exam.”

Kenny came in second in the Nations Cup by achieving a double clear, jumping flawlessly over fences in the time allotted. She also received the highest score on the written exam.

“The written test covered everything,” Kenny explained. “Basic facts about horses and their health, the history of riding, technical terms, walking courses and more.”

Kenny is a member of the Dana Hall Equestrian Team that has already earned a bid to the Regional Finals in March. Her riding does not end when school is out, however, as she participates in equestrian shows throughout the summer across New England and New York.

“I really love it,” said Kenny with a smile. “I encourage anyone who is interested in riding to attend as many shows as possible. It’s a great way to advance your skills.”

Dana Hall School presents its annual Gospel Concert on Friday, February 19 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature the Dana Hall Gospel Choir and the gospel ensemble, Confirmation. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert will be held in Beveridge Hall on the Dana Hall campus in Wellesley. For more information and directions to Dana Hall School, please call (781) 235-3010. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

Eight Dana Hall students stood out from thousands of entries as they received awards in the 2010 Massachusetts Scholastic Art Awards. Each piece of artwork was reviewed by a panel of arts professionals for originality, technical skill, and emergence of personal vision or voice.

Dana Hall’s Gold Key winners were M. Apstein ’10 in Digital Arts, S. Barrera ’11 in Drawing, C. Edgar ’12 in Photography and H. Kim ’10 in Drawing. Silver Key awards went to C. Campion ’10, I. Farrington ’10, K. Higgons ’12, and M. Matsumura ’10. Honorable mentions were given to M. Grip ’12 and P. Knisley ’10.

Gold Key winners will move on to the regional competition in New York City in March. An award ceremony will be held for Gold and Silver Key recipients on Sunday, February 14, and their winning pieces are on display at the State Transportation Building at 10 Park Plaza in Boston through March 19.

On Thursday, January 28, Dana Hall’s Model UN team traveled to Philadelphia to compete in the University of Pennsylvania Ivy League Model UN Invitational. The four-day international conference had more than 2,200 students from nine countries and 103 schools participate.  

The students were judged on a number of criteria including their adherence to national policy, cooperation with others, speaking in formal debate and the quality of written work on individual position papers as well as working papers and resolutions. The Dana team had the difficult task of representing the Palestinian Authority, a nation with no voting rights in the UN. Even with this challenge, the team wrote and secured the passage of several resolutions. 

Dana Hall took home its first team award from the Invitational, placing first in their division and gaining recognition in six out of the eight committee rooms in which they participated. Outstanding Delegate awards went to C. Blakelock ’10, E. Green ’10, C. Minahan ’11 and Z. Stanley-Lockman ’10; C. Lyons ’12, E. Mullen ’11 and E. Pikulik ’13 were given Verbal Commendations; K. Wipperfeld ’10 received an honorable mention; and to L. Barresi ’11, M. Efthim ’12, A. Spiliakos ’11 and C. Plapinger ’12 received team awards.

“This was a testament to the hard work and dedication of a very special group of girls,” said Social Studies teacher and Model UN advisor Heather Panahi. “All of the work and preparation for this event took place during breaks, lunches, weekends and late-night evenings. Though we brought many new faces to the conference this year, they all performed like seasoned veterans.  I am confident that we couldn’t have achieved what we did without the insight and guidance of our fabulous co-heads C. Blakelock ’10 and K. Wipperfeld ’10.”

The Dana Hall School Art Gallery will feature the exhibit titled “The New, Weird America” from February 8 through March 12, 2010. A closing reception is planned for Tuesday, March 9 from 5-7:30 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The show features work from four artists who have created original pieces that reflect the world in which we live. Inspired by pop culture, Neil Bender will showcase an installation as well as collages and paintings; Sean McCarthy will display graphite portraits of demons and biomorphic abstractions; Brent Fogt will present his large scale ink drawings made of tens of thousands of tiny circles; and Matt Krawcheck’s art tells a story through hand-made projector machines, diagrams and mixed media scrolls.

A catalog of the exhibit, which includes essays, poems, and photography as well as t-shirts are available at the Art Gallery. The online version of the catalog can be found here. Please click here to view an article about this exhibit, and here to view photos of the gallery.

The Dana Hall Art Gallery provides a program of exhibitions by local and visiting artists throughout the academic year for the Dana Hall and surrounding communities. The Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It is closed weekends and school holidays. For more information please call (781) 235-3010. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

On Saturday, January 30 Dana Hall School hosted its largest equestrian team show with more than 300 riders from 14 teams competing. The show was extremely successful for Dana as both the Upper and Middle School Equestrian teams placed first.

"I am so proud of our team members,” said Riding Center Director Sarah Summers ’98.  “They worked extremely hard, had positive attitudes and were fierce competitors in the ring."

In addition to the success of the teams, 27 students have qualified for the Regional Finals in March. A. Bertelson ’13, M. Burns ’13, L. Cohen ’14, K. Costantino ’12, K. Figueroa ’10, E. Jahrling ’12, J. Johnson ’12, K. Jones ’11, C. Kenny ’15, E. Kenny ’12, E. Kim ’12, S. Manoogian ’14, S. Mirchandani ’13, L. Nashawaty ’16, R. Ohman ’15, M. Palmer ’12, M. Prescott ’10, E. Selland ’15, A. Shuman ’10, K. Stento ’11, F. Stufano ’14, A. Suitor ’12, H. Taft ’16, S. Taft ’14, M. Van Amson ’14, S. Walzer ’12 and V. Zinsmeyer ’12 will all compete in the Regionals.

The Dana Hall Summer Camp and The Dana Hall Squash and Tennis Camp will hold an Open House on Sunday, February 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Shipley Athletic Center. Parents are invited to tour the Shipley Athletic Center and other athletic facilities, as well as meet with staff members.

The Dana Hall Summer Camp is a co-ed day camp for ages 7-14. Activities include aquatics, creative arts, fencing, rock climbing, golf, sports and games and introductory scuba and snorkeling. The camp will hold three two-week sessions between June 28 and August 6.

The Dana Hall Squash and Tennis Camp is a co-ed day camp for ages 9-15. The camp offers two hours of both squash and tennis instruction each day, as well as free swim. The camp will run six one-week sessions between June 28 and August 6.

The Shipley Athletic Center is located on the Dana Hall campus. For more information, please visit http://www.danahall.org/summer_programs/camps_programs.html, call (781) 489-1900 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

Dana Hall School welcomes alumna Elizabeth Schwartz Cohen ’83 as the next speaker in the 2009-10 Wannamaker Lecture Series. Cohen, the associate senior medical correspondent for CNN’s health and medical unit, will speak to the Dana Hall community on Thursday, February 11 at 7 p.m.  The event is free and open to the public.

During her 17-year tenure at CNN, Cohen has reported from Ground Zero following Sept. 11, 2001; a military hospital during Hurricane Katrina; Virginia Tech following the shooting massacre in April 2007; and California during the wildfires. She reports daily on breaking medical news and consumer tips on CNN and developed the popular “Empowered Patient” column on CNN.com.

Before joining CNN in 1991, Cohen was a newspaper reporter for States News Service in Washington, D.C., and for the Times Union in Albany, N.Y. Cohen also was associate producer of “Green Watch,” an environmental show on WLVI-TV in Boston.

Cohen has received several awards for her work, and her stories have been honored by the Association of Health Care Journalists, the Newswoman’s Club of New York, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

The Wannamaker Lecture Series, in memory of Lyall Wannamaker Plumb ’55, is an endowed fund made possible by the generosity of the members of the Dana Hall Class of 1955, friends, and the Wannamaker family.

This event will take place in Waldo Auditorium located in the Classroom Building on the Dana Hall campus in Wellesley.  For more information and directions to Dana Hall, please call (781) 235-3010. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

The Dana Hall Middle School will host its annual Valentine’s Day Tea on Thursday, February 11 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. All Middle School grandparents, local alumnae, and Wellesley senior citizens are invited for an afternoon of entertainment, refreshments, music and dance.

The tea will be held in Beveridge Hall on the Dana Hall campus. For more information, please contact Courtney Callahan at (781) 235-3010 x2522 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For directions to the Dana Hall campus, please call (781) 235-3010.

Dana Hall School presents its annual Choral Concert on Saturday, January 30 at 7 p.m. The concert titled “A Choral Tribute to Motown,” will feature the Upper School Chorus, the Dana Hall Chamber Singers and a band featuring faculty and other members of the Dana Hall community. The concert is free and open to the public.

The tribute to Motown will feature music recorded by artists from throughout the Motown Record Corporation’s history, from the Supremes to Boyz II Men, as well as sing-a-long opportunities for the audience.

The concert will be held in Bardwell Auditorium on the Dana Hall campus at 37 Cameron Street in Wellesley.  For more information and directions to Dana Hall School, please call (781) 235-3010. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

The Dana Derby is a festive evening fundraiser for the Dana Hall community in support of professional development for Dana Hall faculty. Organized by the Dana Hall Parents' Association, the Derby will be a fun, community-building experience.

The Derby is scheduled for Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the Shipley Center, transformed into “Shipley Downs.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to place bets on horse "races" and participate in a live auction, along with cocktails and dinner.

All events details can be found here. (You will be required to log in the the Dana Hall Parents Web site.) All questions should be directed to Event Chairs Ronnie Chisholm or Karen Grip.

After enjoying a Spanish-themed community dinner the night before, Dana Hall students gathered in Waldo Auditorium on Wednesday, January 20 to celebrate the School’s annual International Week with the Parade of Flags.

International Week honors the many cultures of Dana students, faculty and staff. With 31 countries represented, the parade included flag carriers with any connection to a particular country.

On Thursday, students sold clothing, jewelry, food and other items from their home countries at the international bazaar. All proceeds from the bazaar will go to an organization that provides aid to children in the United States and around the world.

At Friday’s Morning Meeting, students will be able to learn about the different languages spoken by Dana students and test out commonly used phrases. Friday evening features a dinner field trip to a Thai restaurant and an international film festival in the Shipley Center. 

International activities extend through the weekend with day trips and meals that have an international theme. International Week concludes on Sunday night with an international food festival where students prepare delicacies from around the world, enjoy a Greek meal and end the evening with desserts from different countries.

On Tuesday, January 19 the Dana Hall community honored the life and goals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly in Waldo Auditorium.

The student group S.H.A.D.E.S. (Sisters Honoring All Diasporas and Enlightening Society) ran the assembly, themed “progress towards perfection.” S.H.A.D.E.S. co-heads A. Onatunde ’11 and I. Samms ’10 spoke about how Dr. King encouraged others to send positive messages of equality in non-violent ways. “Dr. King knew that from bloodshed and destruction only comes grief,” said Samms.

Five students danced to the song “A Dream” by Common as photos of Dr. King were projected behind them. The song includes portions of Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech. Two students shared slam poetry they wrote about Dr. King’s dedication, and how he has inspired them.

Members of S.H.A.D.E.S. showed a slide show of historic events and figures from 1950-1979. Milestones included Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott, the March on Washington and the assassination of Dr. King. The audience was then taken through notable events from 1979-2010, which included the legalization of gay marriage in six states and Sonia Sotomayor becoming the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Prior to the assembly, faculty and staff were asked how they think society has progressed because of Dr. King, and what we need to work on for equality. Answers were posted on a screen while students read the responses aloud. Members of the Middle School S.H.A.D.E.S. group shared what their dreams for the world are. The assembly had a powerful ending with the Dana Hall Gospel Choir performing a song entitled “Encourage Yourself.”

Seventh-grade students in Dana Hall’s Middle School recently presented “Full of Ourselves,” a modified version of their Forum class curriculum about self-esteem and healthy choices, to fourth and fifth grade girls from neighboring Tenacre Country Day School.

After leading a question and answer session to test the group’s knowledge of body shapes, diets, and why we eat, the Dana Hall students split the Tenacre students into groups to visit four stations run by the Dana girls.

At one stop, Dana students spoke about weightism — prejudice or discrimination against people based on their weight — and performed a skit. At another station, the Tenacre students were asked to write the names of women that they admire on a paper leaf. The leaves were then stapled together to create a tree of strength.

At the third activity, students put their favorite snacks into two categories: junk food and healthy/power foods. Tenacre students looked through magazines for their final activity, while Dana students asked them what they noticed about the ads and articles. Most of the observations pertained to makeup, clothes and body types. The Dana students told the younger girls that it is okay to not look like people in magazines, and that trying to look like famous people will not make them any happier than they already are.

“We love this event because it gives our girls an opportunity to show off what they have learned and to impart their wisdom onto the younger girls,” said Middle School Advisor and Forum Facilitator Guida Estrela. “The 7th graders worked very hard to be prepared, poised and well-spoken. They did a great job!”

From December 3 to December 5, four Dana Hall students attended the National Association for Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Denver, Colo. The theme of the conference was “Moving Mountains: Mining Within.”

The Dana students were split up into different groups for the three-day conference, to participate in activities, listen to speakers and attend workshops. Director of Dance Devon Fitchett chaperoned the Dana group “The conference taught the girls to use personal strength to support diversity in their community,” said Fitchett. “Everyone at some point feels as though they don’t fit in somewhere; especially during adolescence. The workshops the students attended were designed to make them aware of diversity, to feel comfortable with who they are and how to bring what they learned back to Dana Hall.”

“I found the conference invaluable,” said A. Pina ’10. “This was my second year attending, and both times I came back with a better sense of myself and my values.”

An activity that impacted Pina was the “share our stories” session in which students wrote an excerpt of their personal history on a piece of paper. Everyone was then asked to walk around in silence and exchange stories. “The story I ended up with was about a girl’s difficulty with her family. I am so fortunate to have such a supportive family and the activity made me appreciate them even more,” Pina explained. “The focus and the love that we, the students, shared for each other was indescribable.”

The Dana Hall Summer Camp and The Dana Hall Squash and Tennis Camp will hold an Open House on Sunday, January 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Shipley Athletic Center. Parents are invited to tour the Shipley Athletic Center and other athletic facilities, as well as meet with staff members.

The Dana Hall Summer Camp is a co-ed day camp for ages 7-14. Activities include aquatics, creative arts, fencing, rock climbing, golf, sports and games and introductory scuba and snorkeling. The camp will hold three two-week sessions between June 28 and August 6.

The Dana Hall Squash and Tennis Camp is a co-ed day camp for ages 9-15. The camp offers two hours of both squash and tennis instruction each day, as well as free swim. The camp will run six one-week sessions between June 28 and August 6.

The Shipley Athletic Center is located on the Dana Hall campus. For more information, please click here, call (781) 489-1900 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

On Tuesday, January 5, Dana Hall welcomed seven alumnae back to campus for Dana’s third annual Career Day. The alumnae spoke to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students about their experiences in the workplace. Vyda Bielkus ’93, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of B1 Community, Lauren Giblin ’97 and Ameila Finau ’98, Owners of Adara Spa, Wyley Proctor ’98, Senior Associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Myisha Rodrigues-Scott ’00, Case Manager/Mentor Coordinator at Just A Start House, Jenny Bai ’02, Founder of The Red Connect and Jess Isner ’05, Production Coordinator in the New Media Department at NESN described their career paths.

The alumnae encouraged students to combine their natural talents with what they enjoy when choosing a career. “Use what you have and discover what is special about you,” said Jenny Bai ’02. Entrepreneur Vyda Bielkus ’93 integrated her professional skills acquired in previous jobs with her passion for wellness to develop health coach training for health care providers, as well as opened a yoga studio with her mother and sisters. “When you are helping something grow, you grow too,” commented Bielkus.  

The guest speakers told students not to get discouraged if they change their minds about their career. Coming from a family of doctors, Wyley Proctor ’98 thought from a young age that she too would be a doctor. After enrolling at Yale University and changing her major from Medicine to Economics, Proctor decided to attend Duke Law School where she received her J.D. in 2006. Proctor now calls her law career “the best accident.” When Lauren Giblin ’97 and Amelia Finau ’98 both decided they needed career changes, the Dana friends put their skills together and opened Adara Spa in Boston in April 2008. Giblin told the middle schoolers to, “Ask yourself what your passion in life is and what your goals and dreams are.”

Students spent 30 minutes with each alumna and were also given a preview of what is it like to be a Dana alumna. Young Alumnae Associate Erin Welch asked the girls to look into the future and write a Class Notes-style update on her life after graduating from Dana. The students shared new of future families, jobs, and exciting adventures.

“This year’s Career Day was a great success,” said Welch. “We had a professional group of alumnae with diverse backgrounds, and they all shared how Dana guided them to where they are today. Career Day is a great chance for Middle School students to get a glimpse of what their futures could hold from women who were once in their shoes.”

The Dana Hall School Art Gallery will feature an exhibit of paintings by Dianna Vosburg titled “Cosmologies” from January 5 through February 5, 2010. An opening reception is planned for January 12 from 5-7:30 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

A resident of Holliston, Mass., Vosburg earned her MFA in visual art at The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. In her art statement Vosburg said, “I use the material seductiveness of oil paint to reference skin, webbed text, space, and the infinite entwining and enfolded nature of the labyrinthine world. Despite their melancholy wretchedness, these paintings are set aglow, ecstatic with light, color, and movement.”

The Dana Hall Art Gallery provides a program of exhibitions by local and visiting artists throughout the academic year for the Dana Hall and surrounding communities. The Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It is closed weekends and school holidays. For more information call (781) 235-3010, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool.

To view photos from this exhbit click here.

Dana Hall’s Revels play was first performed by faculty and students from Dana Hall, Pine Manor and Tenacre in 1921. On Thursday, December 17, the Dana community gathered, as they do each year, to watch the Class of 2011 perform one of Dana’s oldest and most popular traditions.

Revels features a medieval play written by former Dana English teacher Constance Grosvenor Alexander. In this student-run performance, members of the Dana community come together, most dressed in period costumes, to enjoy the juniors' production and interpretation of medieval life. Each year the junior class makes Revels unique by adding pop culture references to classic skits.

The Class of 2011 showed off their many talents including acting, singing, ballet and hip-hop dancing, and tumbling. Annual characters such as Timothy, the Jester, and the Sword Dancers were present, as well as new takes on the King of Egypt, Sabra, Dragon, St. George and Squire characters as singers Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift and Kanye West made appearances on the stage.

Revels celebrates the Winter Solstice and acknowledges Dana Hall’s strong community spirit.  It is a time to come together with singing, dancing, and laughter before the New Year, as well as mark the beginning of Dana’s winter break.

To view photos from Revels, please click here.

On Saturday, December 12, Dana Hall’s Model UN team attended their first competition of the year at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Mass. Students from seven schools attended the one-day conference to debate and discuss issues including debt in the developing world, global infectious disease and assessing and addressing the rising threat of North Korea.

At the competition, Dana Hall was one of the only schools to have one of their resolutions pass. The Dana team also earned four awards, more than any other school at the conference. Outstanding Delegate awards went to C. Blakelock ’10, Z. Stanley-Lockman ’10 and M. Mao ’12, while the Best Delegate Award was given to K. Wipperfeld ’10.

“I am always struck by the high level of commitment, dedication and professionalism the Dana Hall girls bring to conferences,” said Social Studies teacher and Model UN advisor Heather Panahi. “This is especially impressive when one takes into consideration that all preparation and research is done outside of the classroom on their own time. It is a privilege to coach such an awesome bunch of girls. They are an inspiration to me as a teacher, as a mother, and as a global citizen.”

The Dana Hall School Art Gallery announces its last show of 2009 titled Paper!, which runs from December 9 through December 18, 2009. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The show, created by Dana Hall art students, features 3-D art, architecture and fashion made from recycled paper. The exhibit was inspired by the Dana Hall Green Team and the campus-wide efforts to recycle, reuse and reduce the amount of paper and other resources used by the School. The exhibit includes a life-size paper evening gown by M. Matsumura ’10, and a geodesic-domed structure, big enough to stand in, built by the advance architecture class. Gallery visitors are invited to contribute their own paper creations to the show, as materials will be available for public use at the gallery.

The Dana Hall Art Gallery provides a program of exhibitions by local and visiting artists throughout the academic year for the Dana Hall and surrounding communities. The Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. It is closed weekends and school holidays. For more information, please call (781) 235-3010, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanaHallSchool. To view pictures from this gallery, please click here.

23 students from Dana Hall and 11 community Dana Hall School of Music students will perform Thursday, December 10 at 7 p.m. at the Wellesley Free Library. The students range in age from 6-18 and will play instruments including violin, viola, flute, clarinet and piano. The concert will include both holiday and classical music. The event is free and open to the public.

The Wellesley Free Library is located at 530 Washington Street. For more information call (781) 235-1610 or visit http://www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org/.

The Varsity Field Hockey team played hard until the end of their double overtime loss to Holderness School at the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament, as Dana Hall athletics wrapped up its fall season. 

Leslie Wu Foley has been named the new director of the Dana Hall School of Music. Leslie brings a background of 20 years experience in performing arts, community outreach, and educational programming.

In collaboration with the Union United Methodist Church in Boston, Dana Hall will help feed about 100 families during the Thanksgiving holiday. Advisor groups each decorated a cardboard box called a "Turkey Box," which they filled with food they collected for an assigned family. The filled boxes were delivered to the church on Tuesday, November 24 following Dana's annual Thanksgiving Convocation. In addition to filling the boxes, students bought raffle tickets to raise money to buy turkeys for all of the families.

On Monday, November 23 the Dana Hall Middle School celebrated Culture Day. Culture Day is the Middle School's first interdisciplinary day, which teaches one unit across all subjects. Students will attend regular classes all lessons concentrating on different cultures of the world.

Dana Hall Academic Dean Nancy Rich will share an exhibit of her photographs in the Dana Hall Art Gallery December 1 through December 8, 2009. The show, entitled Afloat on the Tide, features images of the beautiful shells and seaweeds that wash up on the ocean shore plus images of dinghies - the small boats found all along the northeast coast. Rich has published a collection of her dinghy photographs in a book of the same title. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

After placing first in the Eastern Independent League (EIL) with a league record of 7-1-1, the Dana Hall Varsity Field Hockey team earned a bid to the New Englands. Dana enters the Class C tournament seeded sixth out of eight teams. 

The Dana Hall Middle School will present the original play Chaos Carnival at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18 and at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 19 in Waldo Auditorium. The play is open to the public and free of charge.

Dana Hall School, along with students from Roxbury Latin School, will present A Midsummer Night's Dream at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14 in Bardwell Auditorium. Admission is free for Dana Hall students and staff and $8 for members of the community.

The Dana Hall Dance Program will host a fall dance show on Thursday, November 5 at 4:30 p.m. The informal performance will feature class demonstrations and complete works in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and West African Dance choreographed by dance faculty member Steffanie R. White and Director of Dance Devon Fitchett.

Dana Hall, in partnership with Amerasport, has launched an online store featuring classic and new Dana Hall School merchandise.

Dana Hall will host Parents' Weekend begining Thursday, October 22 with a reception and dinner at 6:30 p.m. in The Shipley Center. Parents' Weekend gives families the opportunity to meet their daughter's classmates, faculty, staff, and other parents.

Dana Hall School welcomes Dr. Stacy Klein-Gardner as the first speaker in the 2009-10 Wannamaker Lecture Series. Klein-Gardner is currently the Associate Dean for Outreach and Associate Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering for the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. Klein-Gardner will speak to the Dana Hall community on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 7 p.m.  This event is open to the public.

Sixteen Dana Hall AP Studio Art students will showcase their work Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 at the Bacon Free Library in South Natick. The students’ art will be on display as part of Natick Open Studios. Participating student artists will be at the Library from 12-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.

The Dana Hall School Art Gallery will feature an exhibit by David A. Lang titled Sculpture from October 20 through November 24, 2009. An opening reception is planned for October 20 from 5-7 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

On Sunday, October 18 Dana Hall alumnae, parents and past parents are invited to the 45th annual Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston.  For the third consecutive year Dana Hall will have a hospitality tent, in partnership with the Advancement Alliance of New England, at the Regatta's Reunion Village.

Six Dana Hall School students have been recognized by the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. V. Madigan '10 was named a National Merit Semifinalist, while J. Hurley '10, E. Leghorn '10, A. Porter '10, L. Stanford '10 and S. Venditti '10 were named Commended Students.  Letters of Commendation from Dana Hall and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by Head of School Caroline Erisman to these scholastically talented seniors.

On Sunday, October 4, the American Cancer Society held its annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston. This was the sixth year in a row that a Dana Hall team of students, alumnae, parents, and faculty and staff participated in the 5.7 mile walk.

The Dana Hall community was represented at the event by a team of 30 walkers. To date, the 2009 Dana Hall team has raised $1,350 for research and patient programs.

Dana Hall School has launched the official public profile for the School on Facebook. Dana's public profile, also referred to as a fan page, is designed to keep Facebook users informed about Dana's activities and events.

The Dana Hall School Admission Office will hold its fall Open House on Sunday, October 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event will provide prospective students and their families with the opportunity to tour the Dana campus and a chance to meet with faculty members from all departments. There also will be rock climbing, fencing and dance demonstrations, and Head of School Caroline Erisman will speak. No R.S.V.P. is necessary.

 The Dana Hall School Art Gallery opens its 2009-10 season with an exhibit by Wellesley resident and former Dana Hall faculty member Kassie Teng. The exhibit titled Drawings will run from September 14 through October 16, 2009. An opening reception is planned for September 22 from 5-7 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Dana Hall began its 129th academic year on Wednesday, September 9 with registration and Opening Convocation. Students and faculty joined together in Bardwell Auditorium, where Head of School Caroline Erisman welcomed new and returning students to what she described as "a new year and a new adventure."

Five new faculty and staff members will join the Dana Hall community for the 2009-10 academic year.

The return of students on campus is a sign that the 2009-10 school year at Dana Hall is almost here. Sixty five student athletes hoping to make the varsity cross country, field hockey or soccer team are participating in Dana's first ever week-long mandatory pre-season for fall varsity sports.

Home to the only indoor rock climbing wall in Wellesley, Dana Hall School's Community Climbing Program offers exciting activity, full of physical and mental challenges. Beginning in September, the following classes will be offered: Kids Climb, for ages 4-6, and Coffee Climb: Adult Fitness and Strength Building Through Climbing, for climbers of all abilities. Classes take place on the Shipley Center's 465-square foot climbing wall located on the Dana Hall campus.

Community Dance Program at Dana Hall School will hold free demonstration classes Wednesday, September 2 and Saturday, September 5.  The Community Dance Program offers high-quality classes in a variety of dance techniques including Creative Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop and Yoga. The program is coed and open to students ages three through teens.

The Dana Hall School of Music will host an Open House on Tuesday, September 1 from 4-6 p.m. The School of Music offers private instruction for children and adults of all ages. Lessons are available in piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, guitar and voice.