Hello spring, ’01s! For this column, classmates reflected on how they have contributed to their communities during the past year. It is wonderful to hear about what people are doing to help improve the world around them. Courtney Henning Novak was struggling to manage distance learning for her second-grader but found an outlet for this angst that could help others. She published The Distance Learning Activity Book for Parents Just Holding On to Their Last Shred of Sanity. It is available on Amazon and can provide some light-hearted tips and distractions as parents try to close out what feels like the longest school year on record.

In the world of medicine, Ali Rashid described his year as the vice chief of the anesthesiology department in his Florida hospital. In addition to the routine management, this year was filled with new challenges such as allocation of personal protective equipment and creative usage of space for increased numbers of patients. Ali also pitched in with the ICU when possible. This rollercoaster of a year ended with Ali receiving the first dose of a Covid vaccine. Reflecting on all that has happened, Ali remarked that what stands out to him most about 2020 is “the uncertainty of every day in contrast to the certainty to our commitment.” These are great words for our ’01 family. None of us can claim to know what the spring will be like, but members of the 2001 class will tackle whatever comes our way with hard work, perspective, and good humor.

—Rachel Milstein Sondheimer, 143 Branchville Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877; (203) 645-6938; rachel.sondheimer@gmail.com