Andre Salkin ‘16

Looking at the faculty and staff page on the Country School website fills André Salkin ‘16 with gratitude. According to André, these familiar faces “had a hugely positive effect on me. I would hate to start naming names — but shoutout to Jason Wainio, my coach, latin teacher, and advisor. And I think I was in his boat one time during the Delaware River Trip.”

André is now a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican, mainly covering stories about schools and education policy. The infectious love of learning that André found at the Country School has led him to this career as a key member of the Santa Fe community.

André writes that, “I give big credit to all the faculty and staff for providing our class a really good education.” Along with Mr. Wainio, others stand out as André looks back on his Country School days, including Wendy Meyer, David Acheson, and Tony Capaccio. André writes, “There were a lot of people who really challenged us. I think just about everyone helped in passing down a love for books, and in Mr. A's, case, a serious look into artistic inquiry.”

André shares his deep appreciation for “Uncle Tony” especially, writing, “Anyone who knew him, knew that he would offer the shirt off his back or to come in on a weekend to teach a basketball lesson. And when he would, without fail, offer to help with whatever you needed, he'd hand you a tupperware of some of the most delicious homemade Italian you can imagine. I remember his bolognese.”

Tony and others “helped build an environment that had a lot of respect for the learner figuring complex things out on their own with the support necessary if needed. It helps build a love of learning, too, for when kids eventually become adults, a forever important asset for a human being, and maybe one of the highest aspirations for an educational institution.”

In his role as an education reporter, André has taken a deep look into Santa Fe’s schools and seen the challenge to imbue a love of learning in students. But he feels that the Country School gave that to him: “In the pre-renovation gymnasium walls riddled with holes (partially my fault), Mr. Wainio's Circus Maximus board game, Mrs. Meyer's Meyer Mall simulated economy — and in Tony's bolognese, there it was. A network of just the right amount of space and support for young learners to discover why school is important.”