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Remembering Our Friend, William Dix Fowler

When Tim Treadwell gave his graduation speech last May, he remindedus all that he came to Atheneum School in the first place because of BillFowler. Bill knew his dad and Bill knew us. Bill was a people gatherer ,always looking to bring people together for something great to happen.At such a gathering, Kevin and I met Bill and his wife, Toni, seven yearsago and that is when Atheneum School became Bill’s personal mission inthe last years of his life. He took time to help us develop a future plan,tutored us on the fine art of networking (Bill Fowler style), and he and

Toni were behind us on every level– the first to contribute and the last toleave a function. Bill loved to ask our students questions about how theywere thinking and he delighted in their responses. ―You know whatAtheneum is?‖ he asked me after being a guest lecturer talking about thebuilding of the Alaskan Pipeline. ―It is a leadership school. They can takethe lead in anything they want. These kids are so creative in their think-ing. How do they think like that?‖ Then he laughed and I thought to my-self that taking that creative lead in just about anything was what Bill didall of his life. We are influenced by him daily and I miss him. –L. Ossorgin

We are grateful to Bill’s wife, Toni and their children and their families forrequesting donations be made to Atheneum School in lieu of flowers. Many

of Bill and Toni’s friends responded. To honor Bill, Northern Air Cargo es-tablished The William Dix Fowler Memorial Scholarship shortly after his death

in the summer of 2008. The scholarship recipient for the 2008-2009 school

year was Nicholas DeMolina. The recipient this year was Clyde Hoffman

(below right).

Photos (left to right) Middle school students with pendulum experiment.

Finished constructing the geodesic dome are Austin Johnson and Jacob

Surber (2009). Below is Atheneum’s 10th class of seniors, the Class of

2009: Austin Johnson, Ali Bowles, Jakob Surber (from Switzerland), Janelle

Coy, Tim Treadwell and Stephen Burgoyne.

From Alumni

Jenny Minor (Class of 2002) writes: I credit my years at

Atheneum for encouraging precisely this sort of enthusiasm aboutthis depth of study — the teachers, other students, community,

trips, Great Learning, and of course the texts themselves — all set

the stage for the kinds of observation, awareness, and questioning

that are so integral a part of healing, learning, and life itself.

(Hmm, I just noticed that I have the same Latin dictionary on mydesk that I got for my first quarter in 6th grade… and have many

more intimate book-friends dating to Atheneum days on my shelf!)

The farther I go in my education, the happier I am to have been atAtheneum and the luckier I realize I am to have had such an op-

portunity at that age; it has truly deepened every aspect of my

higher education and my very way of living and engaging with the

world — in interactions with other people, ideas, cultures, prac-tices, and my own sense of se lf.

Marie Craig (Class of 2000) writes: Atheneum School sent meinto a future that was more than I bargained for. After mygraduation from the program in 2000, I found myself learningGreek in Crete, studying the Great Books at St. John’s Collegein Santa Fe, teaching literature and math at a Quaker BoardingSchool in Ohio, and teaching subjects that range from Keats toCompost Piles in Uganda. I learned at Atheneum that I could

succeed in many fields, as the faculty excited me equally aboutthe study of novels and the dissection of a pig. I insisted to mymath teacher that I could never do calculus, and he showed methat I was wrong. This led me to risk foolishness on many occa-sions, whether that meant opening a Crepe Stand for a summer job or traveling to Uganda to teach students my age. Atheneumtaught me the strength of my own voice. When I spoke out inclass, teachers and fellow students responded with care andinterest. My teachers often encouraged me to write down mythoughts, a practice I maintain to this day. I felt trusted toprobe an issue or question with depth and care, and so Ilearned to trust myself.

The largest gift Atheneum gave me was a love of learning. Iapproach my life with eagerness even in tough times, because Iknow I have the opportunity to learn something new. I see chal-lenges as opportunities to understand life a little more. I can

learn in or outside of the classroom. Atheneum has not mademy life easier, for it forced me to examine my decisions and mylife. It has, however, made my life better. Wherever my lifetakes me, I will never forget my first true educational experi-ence at Atheneum Classics School.

From A Parent

Steve Poirot sent an email to us early this winter: Brookeand I just had dinner with Michael Barber (Class of 2000) andSifu Zhou (founder of Atheneum’s Great Learning Program).Michael got to talking with Brooke about Atheneum (a long con-versation, needless to say), and Brooke said something like,"I'm always finding that everything that we're learning in oneclass is closely connected to all the things we're learning in our

other classes... it's so amazing! I often catch myself wonderingif it's just me, but then I think about it and realize that thesethings really ARE connected." I commented that to create aprogram that leads to such realizations would require a combi-nation of artistry and genius, and that probably not one in athousand schools have programs that would cause students tosay what she had just said. Everyone strongly agreed.

(Above) Clyde Hoffman, 11th,

Napaimute, AK and Johnnie

Chung 11th, Taipei ,Taiwan

Photo by Nick DeMolina, 12th.

Photo (Right) 2007 Atheneum friend and advisor, Bill Fowler, with

students Sandra Amoak (from Ghana) and Tim Treadwell. This was

one of many occasions Bill visited students to talk about their educa-

tion, their dreams, entrepreneurship and making good things happen

in the world. “Nothing is impossible if your best thinking is behind it.”

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(Cont. from pg. 1 Renewable Energy

School)

with a high school way up in Alaska, Steve

merely challenged them to find another

school closer that had such a renewable

energy program! They are very excited

and we will have an Intensive at the end

of the month to help in all phases of in-

stalling the solar panels. We will provide

our students with the hands on project

involving economic considerations, accu-

rately measuring the energy, mechanics of

installation, and possibilities for uses of

extra electric power.

Since 2007, Atheneum students have

periodically participated and presented in

the Arctic Energy Summit, the Bioneers

Conferences, a graduate class at U.A.A.,

local Native conferences on energy, the

summer energy fair, local news stations

and others.

Atheneum School is flexible and in con-

stant dialogue with students, parents, and

the concerns of our society and its future;therefore we have been able to provide

these kinds of exciting ―cutting edge‖ pro-

grams for our students as well as influ-

ence on our community. At the same

time, what allows us to think ―outside the

box―, challenge contemporary assump-

tions, and become better able to speak,

write, and be rigorous in our discussions,

is all due to our study of philosophy and

the classics! These are the great minds

throughout history that challenged their

contemporaries and continue to speak in

most powerful ways to our students at

Atheneum School.

(cont. from pg.1 Atheneum Program

in Village Schools)

on the Iditarod Trail (southern route, run

on even years) and off the road system.

The villages are accessible by boat in the

summer and plane in the winter. The next

summer, the faculty was invited to partici-

pate in teaching music and art at a week-

long Fine Arts Camp in McGrath for middle

school students from all the district vil-

lages. Since then, faculty and interns,

Elijah Ferbrache, Will Hoelscher and

Kyra Rice have ventured out to village

schools bringing Socratic seminars, art

and music classes. It has been a mutually

beneficial partnership! Lydia and Kevin

have led professional development work-

shops both on site and through video tele

-conferencing made possible by parent

Brad Spees, GCI Vice-president of Mar-

keting. By installing state of the art VTC

equipment and cables, GCI continues to

support our vision of extending our edu-

cational program through outreach to

remote village schools. Furthermore, our

outreach has included our students and

parents. Austin Johnson and Tim

Treadwell flew out to Takotna for the last

two years to help villagers run the check-

point during Iditarod. Takotna is a favorite

spot on the trail for mushers to take their

mandatory 24 hr. layover. Recently, Ta-

kotna needed more hands to make it

work. Austin and Tim made quite the

impression. Last year, Heather Johnson,Austin’s mother went out as a volunteer !

Photos from Top Left 1.Puppets and

theater made by Atheneum stu-

dents for an original Native Alaskan

tale. 2. Greg Tony of the village of

Nikolai working on illustrated map

project of the Iditarod Trail.

3. Students in Grayling arranging

composition for a project they titled

“The Community Caring Quilt.”

4. Katie, webbing the village sea-

sons. 5. Miska Alexia with his buddy

Kevin. 6. Music class at Top of The

Kuskokwim School. Phil Runkle (rt)has since moved to Anchorage with

his family and is in 9th grade at

Atheneum. 7. Lydia at below –50 in

Takotna. 8. Tim Treadwell,

Atheneum student/ volunteer dog

handler in the village of Takotna at

their checkpoint for The Iditarod –

The Last Great Race!

1.

2.

3.

5.

6.

7.

4.

8.

“Music is sound in the

air with rhythm and

emotion echoing through

lots of worlds even all the

way to Nikolai.”

-Miska Alexia

From a seminar discussion in Nikolai, AK

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In 2007, an alumni parent, Sandy Matthews, provided a car and the funding for Atheneum students to convert the car to fully e lec-

tric power. This exciting project became the foundation for our studies of all kinds of energy from local and Native Alaskan village

resources to worldwide concerns. Atheneum style study of

all sides and issues led to con- troversial ideas about ex-

tractables, renewables, and a 2009 trip to the leading country

in the world to be off of oil, Ice- land. With the immediate rele-

vance and importance of this discussion in our state and world

today, Atheneum has incorpo- rated this study into our sci-

ences (well ahead of our new chemistry textbook that claims

to be green!). We added tutori- als, two-week intensives, and

independent studies to support this topic. Last month when an

Atheneum parent, Steve Poirot, was asked why a company inter-

ested in installing solar panels in Louisiana should partner (cont. pg

5)

To our Friends, Students,

Parents, Alumni and Staff:

We are celebrating

the 15th Anniversary

of

Atheneum School!

We could not have done it

without you.

Thank you for your

involvement, inspiration

support and friendship

throughout the years!

Best Wishes to each,

Lydia Ossorgin and

Kevin Holthaus

Co-founders

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