Page 10 - Menlo Magazine: Winter 2018

WINTER 2018
Ryan Dean
Upper School History Teacher and Department Chair
My paternal grandfather was an education reformer during the Civil Rights Movement. He served two terms on the Forrest County Board of Education in Mississippi during the 1950s and 60s. He had not completed a great deal of formal schooling himself, but he understood, probably for that very reason,
the importance of a rigorous education. He regarded access
to a good school as an American birthright and dedicated himself to helping every member of his community enjoy
the full ower of their citizenship. My father—the only one of my grandfather’s six children to graduate from high school, much less complete college—embodied his dad’s beliefs about schooling, and he communicated these to me. I owe these two men a great debt and aim to repay it one classroom installment at a time.
I also have a strong sense of how education continues to play a crucial role in paving the way for social unity and collective action in my own time. I want to be a member of the crew “laying asphalt” to open or widen that road, and I believe Menlo can be a leader in contemporary American education. One way the School has moved toward realizing its potential is by giving teachers opportunities to express their “why.”
For instance, over the past four years, I’ve received a great deal of support in my e orts to recruit a history faculty that looks more like our student body; I’ve been encouraged
to contribute to the development of a curriculum for all sophomores regarding equity in education, housing, and
the administration of justice; and I’ve been given a great
deal of latitude when it comes to rethinking the entire history curriculum, which has allowed every member of the department to embed their values in the student experience. Not every school does this, and not every school truly aspires to reshape the world around us.
Dr. Nina Ollikainen
Upper School Art Teacher
When I was ve, I discovered I could draw and paint. It felt like magic to be able to create whatever I saw or envisioned. At
an early age, I also loved combining art
and science, in particular, biology. I clearly remember my rst drawing, a detailed grasshopper based on a little book on insects. By high school, I was illustrating eye pathology. In college, I illustrated a laboratory textbook on vertebrate anatomy as well as one on wildlife painting of birds.
I went on to medical school and spent a couple of years as an intern and resident in anatomic pathology. Instead of birds, I was illustrating amputated legs and
cancerous cells. I nally realized the path I had chosen was making me very sad, so I abandoned my career in medicine and continued to build my skills and experiences in art. My inspiration lies in the beauty and complexities of nature. My favorite times, aside from working with students, are being outdoors in nature, painting en plein air. It was a wonderful discovery for me to nd that I could share my joy for art and teach techniques to ensure that students of all levels improve their art skills. My dreams came true when I came on board as a full-time art teacher at Menlo seven years ago. It is a place where not only students but faculty are supported and encouraged to learn and develop to our fullest potential.
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