In November 2022, ChatGPT, the generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI, went live. Some schools panicked. Some banned it outright. Others waited, hoping the technology would recede like other digital trends that had promised to transform education and then quietly hadn't. Pine Crest chose a different path. Within weeks of ChatGPT's release, Pine Crest convened a cross-divisional think tank of faculty to wrestle with a forward-looking question. How do we empower students to harness this technology ethically, creatively and with purpose?

By: Dean Shiff ’26

At just three years old, a very young Josh Aronson ’12 and his family made the move from Toronto, Canada to South Florida, seeking warmer weather and better working opportunities for his parents.

For Kimberly (Altschul) Straker ’90 and Sean Altschul ’92, Pine Crest was never just a school. It was a foundation worth coming home to.

Virtual reality (VR) is often thought of as a modern technology, but Tatjana Crossley ’07 sees it as something much older.

Three years ago, Adonica Black ’07 was asked to contribute a message to a presentation for Pine Crest School’s Board of Trustees. Reflecting on an institution she had first entered as a fourth grade student, she described Pine Crest in a way that resonated deeply with those who heard it.

There is a skill that no app can replicate, no artificial intelligence (AI) model can approximate and no standardized test has ever managed to measure. It is the ability to sit across from someone whose convictions are genuinely different from your own, to hear them out completely and to respond in a way that advances understanding rather than hardens division. It is, in a word, conversation.

A man in Tokyo stood behind the counter of his small fish pie shop, greeting visitors with enthusiasm and pride.

He was 100 years old.

When Harry Porudominsky ’94 graduated from Pine Crest School, he imagined a future in engineering. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do coming out of school,” he admits. “I thought engineering made sense, and I went into college thinking that’s what I’d pursue. But I realized I wasn’t happy with the direction I was going.”

At Pine Crest School, student success isn’t measured solely by grades or college acceptance letters. It’s measured by confidence, independence, resilience and a sense of belonging. It’s found in the quiet moments, a child learning to read with joy, a teen organizing their thoughts after a hard day or a student walking into a room full of peers who understand their grief.

For many people, storytelling is a form of connection. For Ilana Peña ’09, it’s a way of life.

Visual Arts Program Director and Upper School art instructor Mr. Nino Liguori tells stories with paintbrushes. Through his paintings, he weaves together visual parables and allegories that challenge viewers to engage in deep reflection. His work is a fusion of history, design and the human experience—an artistic dialogue between fable and fact, imagination and realism. As an acclaimed artist and dedicated educator, Mr. Liguori’s journey has been shaped by his passion for both creation and instruction, ensuring that future generations continue to find meaning through art.

Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Liguori’s artistic path was profoundly influenced by an art teacher who changed his perspective on life. “He was putting nice things into the world, and that’s what I wanted to do,” said Mr. Liguori. Inspired to pursue both art and education, he attended the University of Florida, where he earned a degree in painting and art education. His career as an educator began in Florida where he taught at three schools in Broward County before finding his place at Pine Crest. Along the way, he continued to refine his craft, earning a master’s degree in Art and Science from Florida International University. “I spent summers studying in China and Paris, and that really inspired me to be a better teacher,” he said. “Instructors in college often saw students as competition, but I never wanted that. I want my students to be better than me.”

When the Boca Raton sixth grade team set out to create a signature experience for their students this year, they knew they wanted something bold—something that would reflect the future-forward spirit of the curriculum and the school’s commitment to innovation.

Abstract? Sometimes. Disruptive? Possibly. Innovative? Always. The entrepreneurial mindset at Pine Crest School takes on many forms and is woven throughout the Lower, Middle and Upper School curricula. Five years ago, Mrs. Keri Kolettis, Vice President of Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship, developed the three-year social entrepreneurship program offered in Upper School. Mrs. Kolettis works closely with Divisional leadership to incorporate entrepreneurial learning opportunities in all grade levels.

“Our goal is that we see entrepreneurship in every class,” said Mrs. Kolettis. “The delivery and methods of this content will vary but the fundamental learning of how to be resilient, creative, collaborative and enterprising will remain the same.”

In the world of social entrepreneurship, a well-crafted pitch can make all the difference. It’s more than just a presentation—it’s a compelling story that connects, persuades and inspires. As students in Pine Crest School’s three-year social entrepreneurship program quickly learn, the key to a successful pitch lies not just in the data, but in the narrative.

By: Dean Shiff ’26

March 25, 1921 - April 23, 2019

By: Asha Gandreti ’25

By: Anya Gandreti ’26