PetroglyphTHE ALEXANDER DAWSON SCHOOLFALL & WINTER 2013

Second-graders Gigi Sterrett & Trey Gibbens perform in the Native American legend “Coyote Steals Summer”

Teaching isn’t rocket science - it is much harder. For the most

part, rocket scientists deal with a static and predictable set of

variables. Teachers, by contrast, are required to constantly

adapt their thinking, their teaching, and their assumptions to

take into account the optimal learning environment for each

child in their class. If you think about the skills and aptitudes

required to work with children who are growing and changing

every minute of every day, rocket science suddenly looks like a

good gig!

In today’s world, teachers are facing a new reality about how

and what to teach to keep pace with changes in the world.

Teaching more of the same isn’t the answer - the skills that

are easiest to teach and test are also the skills that are most

easily automated or outsourced. As recently as two decades

ago, teachers could make the assumption that what they taught

would last a lifetime for their students. For today’s educators,

however, the emphasis is on creating students who are adaptive

learners capable of creating and managing complex tasks.

Our children’s landscapes and their careers will shift many

times during the course of their lives and the ability to reinvent

themselves will be critical. It will be a set of “meta skills”

that will enable the leaders of the future to stay relevant in a

changing world. This is a momentous shift from the static set of

knowledge and skills that were prevalent in most of the schools

that we attended.

The rapid changes in our society are already having profound

implications for Dawson’s community of parents and educators.

We are re-examining our core competencies and pedagogical

approaches to create a framework for effective teaching in

the 21st century classroom. Our teachers will increasingly be

working in collaborative learning teams to create authentic and

relevant lessons, to personalize and individualize the experiences

for students, and to connect student learning beyond the walls

of the classroom. Moreover, our faculty will need to be the lead

learners and demonstrate the ability to adapt, evolve, and use

new technologies to leverage the learning in the classroom. As

a school community, it is our responsibility to support them in

continually re-examining and reinvigorating their practice in

support of our students.

A Chinese proverb states, “May you live in interesting times.”

Certainly, the next 18 months will be interesting times as we

challenge our assumptions and move our school toward a more

student-focused 21st century education. Stay tuned . . . there are

exciting changes underway at The Alexander Dawson School at

Rainbow Mountain.

Dal Sohi, Headmaster

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From theHeadmaster

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4 | EFFECTIVE TEACHING IN THE 21ST CENTURY By Tara Williams, Head of ECEC

6 | TEACHING IN THE DIGITAL AGE By Roxanne Stansbury, Interim Head of Lower School

8 | 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION IN ACTION AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

By Joshua Keilty, Interim Head of Middle School

10 | REQUIRED READING Dawson’s Visiting Author & Author-in-Residence

Programs

12 | DAWSON ALUMNI PROFILE Meet Jason Eng, Class of ‘10

14 | SIXTH-GRADE TRIP TO CAMP STEVENS Reflections by Dawson sixth-grader Camden Berry

16 | SEVENTH-GRADE TRIP TO CAMP SURF Sun, fun, and some serious class bonding in San Diego, CA

18 | EIGHTH-GRADE TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C. Essay by Dawson eighth-grader Sage Livingstone Molasky

and Instagram pics by Dawson eighth-graders

20 | DAWSON FIRST FUND & GRADUATE TRIBUTES Update on Dawson’s First Fund, and information on

graduate tributes in the Spring/Summer 2014 edition

22 | AMAZING STUDENT WORKFirst semester artwork by Dawson students

Contents

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For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org, or call (702) 949-3600

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Early childhood students are coming to us with more experiences at a younger age. It is common for our students to

have traveled the world, have been exposed to several languages, and be immersed in a variety of cultures before starting their first day of school. In the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), we take those experiences and create opportunities for the children to learn from each other. Exposing children to a wide variety of experiences helps create an environment of curiosity, diversity and broad-mindedness, which is essential to developing a global outlook on the world.

As educators, we meet students where they are developmentally, establish challenging and achievable learning goals, and cultivate the curiosity that will spark learners for life. We expose the children to a variety of ways of thinking, approaches to finding solutions, and opportunities to make meaningful connections to real-world experiences. These are critical years for developing awareness for all things new and different - and it is important to celebrate differences and individual uniqueness - while reinforcing their important role as a teammate and an integral member of their classroom community.

Effective Teaching in the 21st Century Early Childhood ClassroomBy Tara Williams, Head of Early Childhood Education

21st CenturyTeachers

Pre-school teacher Jake Brown teaches his students how to measure and pour.

One of the key areas of focus in the ECEC is building resilience. Recent research shows that this is a leading predictor for success in school and in life. With all of the pressures facing children at a younger and younger age, it is our job, as educators, to teach students what to do when things don’t turn out as they planned. When times are tough, will they know how to use the strategies they have learned to turn a less desirable situation into something positive? This is a major part of our role as early childhood educators. If we allow children to practice these skills in a loving and safe environment, while encouraging positive self-image, caring for their environment, and showing kindness and empathy towards others, they will feel more confident when faced with adversity later in life.

“As educators, we meet students where they are developmentally, establish challenging and achievable learning goals, and cultivate the curiosity that will spark learners for life.”

To keep a healthy balance, educators and parents must keep in mind what is important and realistic when working with and supporting young children. They must play to learn. Play promotes and develops cognitive skills, language skills, and social competence. Play in the early years is hard work for children and motivates them to be successful in the long run. This is where they practice roles in school and in life. This is the time when they problem solve, build independence skills, learn to self-regulate, work to become part of a team or partnership, take turns, gain assertiveness skills and learn to be good citizens. The teachers in the ECEC pride themselves on using play to apply real- life lessons and practical applications. We must teach our children to value the excitement they get from learning and mastering new skills. Learning never ends, and it is a valuable tool that our students will use throughout their lives.

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Pre-K teacher Farrah Berlin presents Headmaster Sohi with a book of student drawings. Pre-K teacher Lindsay Shumway with her students.

Assistant teacher Lony Klein laughs with Pre-K students.

EC art teacher Barbara Katchen helps pre-school student Claire Slanker.

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Twenty years ago, I assigned my first class of fourth-grade students the futuristic writing prompt, “How will the world

be different in 2014?” As expected, most students gravitated towards a story that included flying cars and homework-completing robots; however, one student came eerily close to describing a world that he had yet to experience. His profound prediction included the following statement:

There will be no more schools, because anyone will be able to learn anything, anywhere, anytime they want.

I remember reading this line with an amused smile, dismissing this prediction with a patronizing eye roll, confident that schools would forever be a correlation in the model of success.

As we approach 2014, I am plagued with that nagging question: has Google stolen away my job as an educator? The answer is both yes and no. I watch students circumvent teachers as the giver of knowledge, because they know there is someone accessible on the Internet who is more informed on the topic at hand. Students use the Internet to find strangers who can provide exactly what they need to know at the precise moment they need it. For proof of this circumventing, watch children play Minecraft. When Minecraft players run into trouble or want to find the code for creating a new life form or animated object, they search online for tutorials that other kids around the world have created to guide them through the process.

While it is true that 21st century students may not look to their

Teaching in the Digital AgeBy Roxanne Stansbury, Interim Head of Lower School

The Digital Age

Second-graders do research for a project on laptops provided by Dawson’s mobile laptop program.

teachers as the sole holder of infinite wisdom, they still look to their teachers for help and guidance to cope with a world characterized by unprecedented speed of change, technological innovation, and overwhelming amounts of information. Google has not stolen the role of the teacher, it has simply changed the role of the teacher. Students need guidance, direction, and modeling to navigate and process mass quanities of information.

Our students are entering a self-navigating world. Teachers provide the learning activities that help students realize it is not what you know, it is what you can do with what you know. Teachers create opportunities that allow students to be successful in acquiring information and transferring newly learned skills to authentic, real-life scenarios. Teachers give students tools for how to prevent cognitive overload and how to use visual literacy strategies to be productive in a landscape ridden with digital

bombardment. The 21st century teachers require students to be discerning consumers of websites and research. Most importantly, teachers monitor this virtual world where our students connect and network with strangers from all over the world to increase the depth and breadth of their learning journeys.

My insightful fourth-grader from 20 years ago was right – learning can take place anytime, anywhere; however, schools like Dawson that shift instruction to ensure students are equipped to create, collaborate, and communicate, are essential for student success. I am still hopeful that flying cars and homework-completing robots will make an appearance in the next year or so…….until then, let’s teach our children skills they need by modeling how to be a dynamic learner in the 21st century.

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The Digital Age

Third-grader Leah Musgrave shows her mom how to use the iPad app Aurasma to learn about objects in third grade’s Viking Museum.

It’s not all high-tech: third-graders write as many challenging words as they can on the Word Wall in Dyan McCarthy’s class.

Second-graders listen to an interactive history book.

Fourth-grade students participate in Group Dynamics class, which builds a strong sense of camaraderie.

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Education in the 20th century was designed on the factory model. Students were the passive recipients of learning

along an assembly line run by teachers who possessed all the tools. The industrialized world needed graduates with a relatively predictable set of skills and understandings; the schools were made to meet that need.

To succeed in today’s world, students require a very different experience. What follows are three scenes of 21st century education in action at Dawson. Each highlights elements designed to produce a very different kind of graduate.

21st century education is student-centered, collaborative, rigorous and utilizes authentic assessments

Just as the role of students has changed from passive to active learners in the 21st century, the role of teachers has moved from dispensers of information to facilitators of learning. To watch the writing and revision process in fifth grade is to see students working autonomously and collaboratively through the complex processes of composition while teachers act as guides and mentors.

The centerpiece of the Halloween Spooktakular is a chance to write a spooky story. To set the stage, teachers read examples from Edgar Allen Poe and guide brainstorming of evocative words. Then there are the proven stages of prewriting, early drafts, revision and editing. The 21st century difference is that the students move through the process at their own pace. Teachers

21st Century Education in Action at the Middle SchoolBy Joshua Keilty, Interim Head of Middle School

Education in Action

Fifth-graders work together to create an array.

teach them the steps, and students track their own progress. And although each student is provided several rounds of one-on-one feedback from teachers, they receive even more feedback from their peers. The culmination is not a teacher giving a grade, but a performance in which families are invited, the class decorates the room and groups of students read their stories to an appreciative audience.

21st century education is active, inspiring, project-based and integrates disciplines

In Lighting the Fire, a Middle School elective choice, student teams are challenged to build a potato cannon. They quickly discover the challenges of working through many rounds of design cycle as they collaborate to translate their designs into functioning cannons. Several test volleys then help teams to create reliable protocols and establish safe operational parameters for their custom designs. As a matter of course, teams integrate their understanding of mathematics, explosives and Newton’s Laws as they calculate velocity, acceleration, force, and range in one dimension.

As a culminating activity, they write persuasive papers advocating for the score they deserved on the project. Their argument must be supported by evidence including reflections of the design process, sources of inspiration, and a critical evaluation of the final product. The next phase of the class is a move to medieval siege weapons as they again go through the design

process with more efficiency and wisdom. There is nothing like some destruction and explosions to inspire extraordinary focus, creativity and hard work.

21st century education is relevant, complex, research-driven and technologically integrated

In the eighth grade science curriculum, teams of students undertake a toxicology project. First, they accumulate background in microorganisms and become skilled in microscopy. Then they become proficient gathering data with electronic probes and using software to graph and analyze the data. With all these tools in place, they are ready to tackle a real-world project.

Like all good research, it ends with a lab report, but first, the teams present their findings to their peers in a scientific convention. The class provides critical feedback to the researchers who use it to further deepen and refine the analysis of their lab. The final project is a product of real science and personal dedication improved by the contributions of others.

The preceding snapshots were from a school striving to prepare its graduates for a rapidly changing world. Yet, perhaps the most important characteristic of students ready for the unknowns of the 21st century is enthusiasm for learning. For that, take a walk through The Alexander Dawson School; the excitement and energy makes every classroom and hallway buzz. We are ready for whatever the future may bring.

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“Take a walk through the Alexander Dawson School; the excitement and energy makes every classroom and hallway buzz. We are ready for whatever the future may bring.”

Seventh-graders listen to science teacher Chris Estrella explain centripetal force. Sixth-graders measure the density of different objects in science class.

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The Alexander Dawson School Library opened 14 years

ago with one mission: to plant, grow and cultivate a love

of books and reading in our students. From early childhood

reading programs in the Library to the study of Shakespeare in

fifth grade, we achieve our singular mission by providing students

with numerous opportunities throughout the school year to

experience the written word. In addition to a love of reading,

we also strive to cultivate a love of writing, which can be a bit

more challenging. Nothing has worked to inspire students to

write more than being given the opportunity to meet, talk to and

work with an actual author, with whom students can experience

directly the adventure of the writing process. To build on the

foundations of both reading and writing, we’ve built two different

programs in which the students can experience authors: Visiting

Authors and Authors-in-Residence.

The Visiting Authors program started in 2000, the same year

that Dawson opened its doors. The authors who participate in

this program visit the School for an entire day and present to

several different grade levels. Students have the opportunity to

hear the journey each author takes as a new book is created.

Authors share their tips and tricks for writing stories, as well as

advice for budding authors. Students leave each presentation

inspired to write, read and dream. “I like that the students get the

one-to-one contact with the author. It is so interactive, and allows

the students to be introduced to the publishing process. They

start to understand the hard work and dedication it takes to write

a book,” said Christina Benson, first-grade teacher. To date, we

have had the privilege of hosting 36 different visiting authors

on Dawson’s campus, including Newbery Award-winning author

Cynthia Kadohata, and Caldecott Award-winning illustrator

Paul Zelinsky.

Authors-in-Residence takes the visiting author concept to a

whole new level. Once a year, students in second and sixth grades

have the privilege of working with an author over the course of

an entire week on an illustrated book or short story.

For the second grade Author-in-Residence program, we’ve been

honored to host author and illustrator Paul Owen Lewis for a

number of years. Mr. Lewis focuses on the creation of a picture

book, with each student creating one page of illustration and one

Dawson’s Author-in-Residence & Visiting Authors ProgramBy Lynne Reid, Dawson Librarian

Required Reading

Author Brian Falkner and his award-winning Dawson sixth-graders.

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page of text for the class-designed book. Mr. Lewis spends two

days in each second-grade classroom, working with the students

to create, illustrate and write an original picture book featuring

Dawson Bear (see image above). Once the story is set and the

illustrations complete, Molly Millman, who runs Dawson’s

Publishing Center, puts the book together and has it printed.

The program culminates with a classroom celebration where Mr.

Lewis unveils the published book and reads it to the students for

the first time.

Mr. Lewis had this to say about the program, “Teaching the craft

of writing and illustration at Dawson is a special gift. For myself,

only at Dawson am I given the time and encouragement to teach

the full breadth of my skill and knowledge of the picture book art

form – and to second-graders no less! And the students get to work

with me every step of the way through literary structure, idea,

character, and story development, to final illustration. The results

are spectacular: every story is original and beautifully realized.

Every year when I return home with my hot-off-the-press, prized

first editions, some of my friends refuse to believe that second-

graders are capable of such fabulous and professional work. But

they would believe it if they, too, could experience the staff and

students that make The Alexander Dawson School such a special

place!”

The sixth-grade Author-in-Residence program, with author

Brian Falkner at the helm, focuses solely on the creative writing

process. Mr. Falkner, a native of New Zealand and author of

more than 11 young adult and junior fiction novels, spends six

days with sixth-grade students conducting writing workshops,

discussing all aspects of good storytelling. Once he’s laid the

foundation for developing solid story structure, as well as

character and plot development, he spends the duration of his

residency working one-on-one with each student on the creation

of original 1,200 word compositions, helping them with their

story ideas and providing valuable feedback. At the end of

the week, each student submits a completed short story to Mr.

Falkner, who reads each one and gives awards for best character,

best plot, best quote, best opening line and best overall story.

Steve Gillis, Dawson’s sixth-grade English teacher, says, “As

an English teacher in secondary education for 14 years, it is

challenging to find speakers who are practical, knowledgeable,

and believable with a message that endures after they leave. Brian

accomplishes all of these - and then some! His clever message

and humorous style enthralled our students for the entire week

as he explained the creative writing process from start to finish.

Brian took the time to read all the student stories, giving each

young writer specific advice and actionable pointers. We are

proud to have featured him in our Author-in-Residence program

for the last 8 years at Dawson.”

Last year, Paul Owen Lewis celebrated the publication of this second-grade book, ”Good Science Gone Bad.” Visiting author Bruce Hale reads to second grade.

Dawson alum Jason Eng (class of ’10) is not a typical

student, nor has he had anything close to a typical high

school experience. In fact, in academic parlance, Eng is what

is referred to as a “non-traditional” student. Currently, he lives

on his own in an apartment in Los Angeles. He attends a virtual

(aka, online) high school because he plays soccer full-time for

the LA Galaxy Academy – yes, that soccer team, who once had

David Beckham, arguably the most recognizable soccer player

in the world, on its roster (Beckham retired from the LA Galaxy

in 2012). Through it all, Eng has a full load of honors courses,

maintains a 4.5 GPA and will graduate second in his class. Not

to mention the online business he’s starting and the occasional

globe-trotting he does for a soccer match. It’s enough to make

anyone’s head spin, yet when Eng sits down to talk about his

“non-traditional” post-Dawson experience, it’s immediately

clear that this warm, funny and charismatic young man wouldn’t

have it any other way.

Eng, of Chinese-American descent, was born in Las Vegas in

1996. When he was four years old, he remembers watching his

older brother, Tyler, play soccer. Eng – always looking to emulate

Tyler – decided then he wanted to play, too. From that point

on, Eng says, “my family would eat, sleep and breathe soccer.”

However, Eng’s parents, neither of whom attended college,

also emphasized the importance of a great education and the

opportunities it affords. His parents wanted a rigorous academic

experience for Eng, so, at the age of five, they enrolled him at

The Alexander Dawson School.

COLLEGE IS A GREAT TOOL FOR MANY PEOPLE TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL, BUT I FEEL THAT IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS AT ALL. LIKE ANY EXPERIENCE, IT’S REALLY WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT! IT’S AN EASY DECISION FOR ME: I’M GOING STRAIGHT INTO PROFESSIONAL SOCCER.

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JasonEng

- Class of ‘10

“I loved Dawson, but I don’t think I truly

appreciated my experience here until I left and

started high school at Bishop Gorman [in Las

Vegas]. It was challenging making new friends

because high school was very intimidating for me

as a freshman.”

While the social transition wasn’t easy, Eng says

the academic transition from Dawson to high

school was seamless.

“I couldn’t have been more prepared for the

academic side of things. I feel Dawson particularly excelled

in preparing me in the subjects of English and Science. For

example, the science or English books that we were assigned in

sixth through eighth grades at Dawson were often the same books

that I was assigned in honors courses throughout high school.”

After spending one semester as a freshman at

Bishop Gorman, Eng was presented with an

opportunity he couldn’t refuse: play soccer for

the Real Salt Lake – Arizona Soccer Academy

in Casa Grande, AZ – the only residential

academy in the United States that’s affiliated

with a professional Major League Soccer team.

“Real Salt Lake Academy was my home for the

next two and a half years. It was an incredible

experience! Not only did I travel across the

nation playing soccer for Real Salt Lake, I’ve also played soccer in

Spain, Ireland, England, Japan and China. My favorite country

would have to be Japan, because their cities, culture and people

amazed me. Everywhere in Japan was breathtakingly scenic—

from rural to urban landscapes. When I visit a new country, it’s

like taking a field trip: it’s a lot of fun, and I always

come home having learned something new.”

To allow for a more flexible schedule for travel

and other pursuits, Eng made a bold move his

junior year at the RSL Academy: he switched to

a virtual high school program. All of his classes

are online, and he can work at his own pace. It’s

also allowed him to better utilize another set of

skills he credits Dawson with teaching him: time

management and organization. These two skills,

says Eng, as well as self-motivation, are the key

ingredients to his current academic success.

In the fall of 2013, at the start of his senior

year, Eng transferred to the LA Galaxy Soccer

Academy. Aside from switching soccer teams, the

move to Los Angeles has presented a new set of

experiences and transitions. “It’s different in L.A.

because I live in my own apartment in the city,”

says Eng. “But not only have I progressed as a

soccer player since graduating from Dawson, but

I have also matured as a person.”

With graduation looming, is college on the horizon for Eng?

“College is a great tool for many people to become successful,

but I feel that it does not guarantee success at all. Like any

experience, it’s really what you make of it! It’s an easy decision

for me: I’m going straight into professional

soccer.”

However, Eng stresses that soccer is not the

only thing he’s passionate about. “It may

sound funny, but I have a passion for making

money. At Dawson, I used to sell candies out

of my locker in the seventh grade. My parents

were more than happy to buy things for me, but

I always wanted my own money. It made me

feel like I earned whatever I was buying. Not

a whole lot has changed: I’m working on my

first online business—I guess you could call me an entrepreneur

now. Also, I’ve spent a lot of time financially educating myself

through books, seminars and other media. It’s something that I

enjoy, and I can definitely see myself becoming a business man

in the future.”

So what non-traditional advice does this scholar

and soccer star have for the Dawson Class of

2014?

“My best advice is to wear your retainer religiously.

Your teeth WILL move if you don’t wear it every

night, and there’s no way your parents are getting

you braces again.”

You heard it here first, Dawson grads!

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A sixth-grade experienceCamp Stevens

Essay by Camden Berry, ‘16

My favorite part of Camp Stevens was our hiking day. The

hike up the mountain was quite challenging, but that

wasn’t the hardest part. The weather did not take it easy on us

at all; specifically, I could actually see my breath due to the chilly

air. The five layers I had on did not keep me warm enough,

and my jeans were caked with mud. Then, I realized we walked

through an enormous rain cloud that seemed to track us. The

clouds hung low while we were hiking high up the mountain,

making it very difficult to see even five feet ahead of ourselves.

Our instructor said to look about and take in what surrounded

us. And, be careful to not fall off the edge of the mountain. That

was all we needed to hear: we carefully raced down the mountain

at such a fast pace that we could hardly stop ourselves! This may

not sound like a great experience, but the memory it created was

awesome.

After we completed our hike, we all hungrily gulped down our

sandwiches and sat by the stove that was warming soup. Our

fingers were numb, our heads ached, our toes tingled and our

legs shivered, but that didn’t stop us from having the best time

of the trip. At first, my friends and I sat in a huddle, making

negative comments about the hike, the rain, the mud and the

cold. However, after recounting all our different experiences, we

started to laugh and realize that this was a pretty special and

unique trip.

Another great occurrence was swinging from a thick rope that

hung down from this huge oak tree. I jumped on the rope, flying

high into the sky. Amazingly, I felt like Tarzan off to rescue

Jane, flying branch to branch to get there quicker. The view

was a sensational panorama of the mountains and trees, and

for those few minutes on the rope swing I forgot the noise in

the background and the sting of the cold air I was breathing.

For those few minutes, I thought I was unstoppable. Once it was

someone else’s turn, I hurriedly got right back in line, just so I

could relive the moment that made me feel special. That simple

rope swing thrilled me every single time; the moment never

disappointed. Once we returned to our toasty cabin room of six

campers, we chatted about the day. Interestingly, we forgot about

the uncomfortable hike, the cold sandwiches, and the freezing

temperatures. We simply enjoyed the moment and laughed

about the times together.

Camp Stevens was an incredible week. It was fun to be outdoors

the whole day without our phones. The weather was so different

from what we have here in Las Vegas. I look back at the all

the unforgettable highlights. After going through the different

situations that required teamwork with my classmates, I feel

like these activities helped me to learn in a different way. I’m

thankful for the opportunity.

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Surfing, swimming, lifeguard training, games and activities,

and lots and lots of fun…no, it’s not summer camp: this

is Dawson’s annual seventh-grade trip at YMCA’s Camp Surf,

located on 45 acres of beautiful oceanfront property in San

Diego, California. At the start of each school year, the new

class of Dawson seventh-graders has the opportunity to attend

the four-day trip to Camp Surf, chaperoned by several Middle

School teachers. These grade-level trips are an integral part of

the Dawson Middle School program and provide an important

means for students to spend time together as a class, further

developing their bonds with one another by building a strong

sense of class unity.

In addition to classmate bonding, the retreats are designed to

provide developmentally appropriate support to individual

students with engaging activities that help boost confidence and

self-esteem. For example, in addition to group-based activities,

students are taught how to surf, gain invaluable CPR and first

aid skills, and experience the basic elements of lifeguard training.

Dawson seventh-grader Ian Walton said, “During Camp Surf, we

participated in many group activities, and I found they were top-

notch and very fun. One of my favorite activities was when we

had to work as a team to rescue people in the water. This involved

one person pretending to be drowning, a person pretending to

be a lifeguard, and a helper. The lifeguard would go out into the

water and save the person drowning, and the “helper” would

assist the lifeguard in getting the victim out of the water and safely

onto the sand. This activity gave me a glimpse of what it would be

like to be a real lifeguard. It was a terrific experience.”

Nicole Cuica, Dawson seventh-grade English teacher, attended

Camp Surf as a chaperone for the first time this year. “My

first-time Camp Surf experience is one I will always remember.

Watching students explore, discover inner strength, work together

in unity, and make memories was eye-opening and heart-warming.

The bonds students made with each other and teachers alike

endure. They positively affect our daily classroom interactions

and bring us all closer together.”

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Camp Surf

1017

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The airport is theoretically supposed to be quiet this early

before the sun has settled above the horizon and before

the hustle of everyday life cancels out the sound of silence. All

that should be heard is the hum of electric lights and the faint

footsteps of the few travelers, their feet shuffling rapidly down

the carpeted floors. But not today. Instead of stagnant air and

mundane happenings, an eclectic group of about 50 eighth

graders rush down the airport hallways, gathering the gaze of

every passerby and leaving a trail of laughter with each step.

They are irrevocably verbose in their opinions and their volume;

their excitement fills up the empty rooms so that everyone is

swimming in this excitement. Everyone is in on the secret, for

everyone is pulled in by the presence of these teenagers and their

scarce chaperones.

I am one of these kids; I’m the one walking in the front, glancing

behind now and then to take in the enormity and beauty of this

mob. This mob is my family; each person has a story, and I have

the honor of knowing that story, so with each backwards glance,

I smile a bit. I smile because of the tired, yet blithe, faces that fill

my view, and I know this adventure, although one of our last, will

be ingrained in our beings forever.

This occurrence I describe was the beginning of the eighth grade

Washington, D.C., trip my class recently ventured out on. That

morning, despite the early wake-up call (consistent with every

morning on that trip), we were thrilled. Lore of the eighth grade

trip surrounded me and my classmates for years, and we were

finally about to embark on this adventure. I didn’t expect the

Washington, D.C.

Essay by Sage Livingstone molasky, ‘14Instagram pictures by the dawson class of 2014

via Instagram

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challenge of living with three other girls or the brutality of East Coast humidity. But, I also didn’t expect the profoundly impacting

museum visits and memorial services. I didn’t know until after I went that each stop along the way, whether it was the Holocaust

Memorial Museum or Jamestown settlement, shaped me and made me feel things none of us thought we would feel. Tears were shed

for lost soldiers and lost citizens, yet they were also shed for an impending event made omnipresent on this journey.

We eighth-graders are leaving Dawson forever. We are advancing as new people to new places to make new memories. And although

this is a saddening thought, especially after 10 years with the same people, I have come to an understanding about why we are sent to

Washington, D.C., in eighth grade. We go to see the world, to comprehend the history of our nation and to also discover ourselves a

little bit more. We go to see that we have all impacted each other in some way. At every eighth-grade graduation, the choir sings a song

with the lyric, “I don’t know if I’ve been changed for the better, but since I knew you, I have been changed for good.” Now we all know

what they mean, for we have been changed indefinitely, forever and always.

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Putting Dawson First!The 2013-2014 school year kicked off with a lot of exciting

changes … our new Headmaster, Dal Sohi; new leadership in

both Middle School and Lower School, where Joshua Keilty and

Roxanne Stansbury assumed new roles as interim heads of their

divisions, and a new name for the annual fund, appropriately

called the Dawson First Fund.

The name serves as a reminder of our most important fundraising

effort, of course … but it also represents what Dawson and our

students strive to be: first in excellence, first in accomplishments,

first in character, and so much more!

Whether your child’s passions lie in academics, the arts, technology

and/or athletics, the Dawson First Fund helps to provide for the

extras that lead to an extraordinary experience. Headmaster Sohi

has identified the following funding priorities for the 2013-2014

school year:

• Improved Technology: to put the most effective tools

in the hands of teachers so that they can enhance the

learning in the classroom

• Additional Experiential Learning Opportunities:

to develop and offer more relevant and innovative

approaches to learning beyond the walls of the classroom

• Curriculum Expansion and Changes: to allow us to

compete with any school, anywhere in the world

These initiatives will impact every Dawson student, enriching

and enhancing the Dawson experience beyond what is possible

through tuition alone. The Dawson First Fund was announced at

our annual Spaghetti Dinner in September (when Dawson’s staff

dressed as maitre d’s - see photo below), with a goal of a short-

and-sweet campaign to wrap up in December. The concept seems

well-received so far; stay tuned for updates and a final report!

Thank you for putting Dawson first!

Interesting Statistic: It may surprise you to know that the percentage of Dawson families who contributed to the annual fund last year was less than half the national average for independent schools. We are confident that we can do better…imagine what 100% participation could mean! If you haven’t already made your contribution, you can use the envelope included in this issue of Petroglyph. You can also donate online at www.adsrm.org/giveonline, or call our offices at 702-949-3600 and ask for the development department. If you have already made your gift, THANK YOU for making extraordinary things happen at Dawson!

Graduate TributesAvailable Next Petroglyph!

CONGRATS

John Smith!

We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments.

Love,Mom & Dad

We are happy to announce Dawson Graduate Tributes will be available again in the Spring/Summer 2014 edition

of the Petroglyph. These tributes make for a wonderful keepsake for your Dawson graduate. For $50, we will create

a 4”x6” tribute that can include up to two pictures and up to 40 words. This edition of the Petroglyph will also have

the 2014 eighth-grade class portrait, high schools they will be attending and the winning graduation essay.

Stay tuned! Information on how to purchase a tribute space will be in made available in April of 2014 in

Bear Necessities and on the Dawson website. For immediate questions, please contact Megan Gray, Dawson’s

Communications Manager, at mgray@adsrm.org.

SAMPLE GRADUATE TRIBUTE

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Fruit still life in pastels by Jillian Kissel, third grade. Blue glass plate by Carson Richards, sixth grade.

“Beam,” photographed by BJ Cahill, seventh grade.Concentric circle painting by kindergarten students.

“Z,” photographed by Stone Wachs, eighth grade.

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LS & MS Student Artwork

Picasso-inspired self-portrait by Sabrina Robertson, first grade.

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ECEC Students Make Masks

Artwork

10845 W. Desert Inn Rd.Las Vegas, NV 89135

NONPROFIT ORG.

US POSTAGE PAID

LAS VEGAS, NV

PERMIT NO. 302

facebook.com/AlexanderDawsonSchool

Second Grade’s “Coyote Steals Summer” Performance

Onah Nwapa and Gabriella Vater as Native Americans.

From left: Kade Safadi, Ruben Mede & Mack Maier as Coyote’s animal friends.

Julia Buhalis, as Coyote, steals summer in a golden bag.

Jacob Williams, Louis Abin & Bryce Cofield as eagles.

For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org, or call (702) 949-3600