John DeSimone arrived at Fay in the fall of 1981, and he never really left. John, his older brother Joe ’82, and his younger brother Jim ’88, were all day students at Fay. After graduating from Fay, they all returned to campus, along with their brother Peter, during the summers in high school and college to work on the groundskeeping staff. John went on to graduate from Boston College in 1991 and received his MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. Now, as Senior Vice President of Finance at Hasbro, John and his wife Audrey are also Fay parents to Elizabeth ’17, now in her junior year at Brooks School, and Caroline ’20.

 

John and Audrey have given back to Fay in many ways over the years. A three-time room parent, Audrey has volunteered her time to the Fay Fund phonathon, the School Store, and Mooseduds; she has also served on the Parents’ Association board. John helped to coach four of Elizabeth’s softball teams at Fay and notes that since graduating from Fay, he has never missed a year of giving to the Fay Fund. We recently sat down with John and Audrey to talk about what has kept them connected to Fay over the years and why it means so much to them to give back to the school.

 

John: The best part of working there was really getting to know the faculty from a different perspective, and that’s a big part of why our family never left Fay. My brothers and I would play in faculty and staff football games on Sunday mornings with Stu [Rosenwald]. When my father passed, Mr. Upjohn came to his wake. I hadn’t seen him in years, but it's not a coincidence that three months later Elizabeth was applying to Fay.

Audrey: When a place means that much to you, and you mean that much to them, it's a really special relationship. That’s something you want your kids to experience as well.

 

John: The stories that I hear from Caroline and Elizabeth are the same stories that my brothers brought back to my parents. We had Mr. Upjohn and they have Mr. Blanchard. The faculty really know how to reach these kids and how to inspire them. They walk into class knowing that they’re going to come out as better people and stronger students.

 

Audrey: When you see the passion and energy that the faculty put into the school, it’s infectious. You want to be a part of it, but you also want to do what you can to support it as well. I like to get involved in a lot of little things. I probably like the School Store the most because it’s fun to get to know the students. When you are at a place for eight or nine years, you see the kids grow up together and the bonds they have formed. It’s really special to bear witness to that.

 

John: My brothers and I all came through Fay with the support of previous donors, and now we are all giving back. I haven’t missed a year since 1984, and neither has my brother Joe or my mom. She is so grateful for the foundation that Fay gave the three of us.

Audrey: She also loves coming back to Fay. She doesn’t miss a Grandparents’ Day or concert!

 

Audrey: When you sit at Parents’ Weekend and hear other parents talk about their child’s experience at Fay, or you go to the grade level coffees and listen to Mrs. Schuster talk about what a fourth grader is going through, what they’re thinking, and how to reach them, you realize that each grade is such a customized experience.

John: I haven’t been to Parents’ Weekend in eight years without shedding a tear just knowing how well the girls are taken care of and what a great opportunity they have.

 

John: Hearing the girls talk about Fay is so rewarding because you get to hear their enthusiasm for certain classes and teachers.

Audrey: I really do think that they will stay engaged. You will see Elizabeth at her five-year reunion and Caroline as well. I don’t know how Fay continues, generation after generation, to keep finding faculty who are so passionate and special, but whatever that magical touch is, I hope they keep doing it for generations to come.