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caused him to miss the PSATs and several exams. Instead of punishing the absence, his teachers designed alternative assessments. One teacher in particular tricked him into doing "a science fair project that turned out to be life-changing." This project led to a series of events that eventually secured him two full scholarships to college. This approach—encouraging students to pursue what inspires them and then helping them develop something substantive from it—is what Jean Kosky identifies as "a little bit of the Trevor way." Jean Kosky was a 2nd-grade teacher at Trevor, from 1996 until her retirement in 2016. Her acclaimed wolf study ran throughout her tenure, spanning the eras of chalkboards to SMART Boards. The study's overarching purpose was not simply to learn about wolves, but to use this iconic mammal as the "hook" to get children interested in natural science and research. The goal was simple, but compelling: Wrap the learning around something the kids find captivating to teach them the fundamentals of scientific inquiry and critical thinking. The interdisciplinary study enabled students to learn how to: • Gather and cite facts from information books. • Organize facts into categories, such as anatomy, environment, and human interaction. • Debate and discuss when different sources disagreed. The study culminated in a hugely popular play. "The reason my wolf study had a play," Kosky explains, "was because the other 2nd-grade teachers did a play every year and I didn't, and my kids were so mad at me. So I wrote something that was all pantomime. Eric Soloff said it was like a National Geographic documentary narrated by me. The kids went through all their paces and they taught their parents about wolves. It was really my second year when the play evolved to what it ultimately was, because my associate teacher was an aspiring playwright. The plot involved a real pack of wolves teaching a cartoon wolf what real wolves are like and that's when all the facts spill out. We did this play every year for 18 years, authored by Ben Selkow. He said it was the longest running production he'd ever written because he did actually go on to work in film and television production." Hartstone-Rose's research has repeatedly circled back to the very subject Kosky used to inspire Trevor students. His research on dire wolves and the evolutionary difference between dog and wolf face muscles have contributed significantly to the science of canids. Kosky's success in using wolves as a hook is a testament to the fact that passion often starts with a single, fascinating subject. Hartstone- Rose's research, his student-focused mentorship, and his dedication to pursuing his childhood dream of working with bones and fossils all underscore a single, compelling message: "The main message that I like to give students of all ages is to pursue what you're most passionate about and try to make that your profession. If your profession is what you are passionate about, then it's not a job anymore, it's your life." n Members of the Class of 2025 performing their wolf play as 2nd graders in Ms. Kosky's class. Hartstone-Rose with two species of lemur on his second trip to Madagascar between his junior and senior years at Trevor. 54 / TREVOR MAGAZINE WINTER 2025–26

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