Four Allen-Stevenson Alumni Making a Difference... Marcel Deans ’91
Christopher J. Hallows ’87
“We need to use the power that we were given to create change for the greater good.”
“You need to involve yourself to make some positive change."
Marcel D. Deans attended AllenStevenson from 1987 to 1991 where he was first exposed to community service with UNICEF, Save the Children and “You Gotta Have Park.” He graduated from The Hotchkiss School where he was President of Self Government and the recipient of the Hotchkiss Alumni Association's Community Service Award which recognizes alumni who “demonstrate through their volunteer and/or vocational endeavors an exemplary sense of caring, initiative, and ingenuity.” Marcel earned a Bachelor's in History from Columbia University and a Master's in Educational Administration from Bank Street College of Education. He says, “As I matured, I realized that many families desire the type of education I was blessed to receive at Allen-Stevenson, yet lack the financial means.” This led him to begin his career in education as a team leader for the AmeriCorps National Service Center and as a member of Teach for America's 1998 New York Corps at The Raphael Hernandez/Langston Hughes Elementary School in Harlem. Marcel then joined the faculty as Dean of Students at The Institute for Collaborative Education, a progressive public high school on the Lower East Side. Soon after, he became Assistant Principal of Administration for The High School of Arts and Technology, a small high school located in Manhattan on the campus of the Martin Luther King, Jr., High School. In September 2007, Marcel was appointed Principal of the new Victory Collegiate High School in Brooklyn. The school believes that “education is the most powerful instrument for sparking the revitalization essential to urban communities and to ensure a productive, diverse community of learners. We examine social problems, peak social awareness, develop social conscience and work toward community and personal growth.” Coming from a background of private education, Marcel feels his work in the public sector has allowed him to, “…see the human condition on a whole other level that I was unable to before. I think that because of this, I am a better husband, a better father, a better man - more aware and appreciative of every opportunity that comes my way. There is no greater joy in life than to have a positive impact on a child's life - in particular, altering the course of a youngster who is traveling down the wrong road because they have yet to realize their true potential and inherent worth.” As the speaker for Allen-Stevenson's Founders Day in October of 2007, Marcel spoke of a book that has had a significant impact on his life, Good to Great by Jim Collins which focuses on greatness. He spoke to the boys about the importance of giving back to one's community and urged them to think about the many ways they can be of help to others. Marcel had several role models at Allen-Stevenson - he learned the value of being a thinker from Mr. Harlan, and to take advantage of other people's knowledge from Mr. Pariseau. Now, as a role model himself, he has the opportunity to affect the lives of many students on a day to day basis. Marcel Deans and his wife, Sherrie Stewart Deans, and their 4 year-old son, Jackson, live in Manhattan.
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Capt. Christopher J. Hallows graduated from Allen-Stevenson in 1987 where, as he said, “The teachers at Allen-Stevenson had a significant impact on shaping my beliefs and values.” After graduating from AllenStevenson, Chris went on to The Harvey School and Fordham University and, in 1995, he enlisted in the United States Army planning to make a career of service to his country. For his actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device (for valor). He feels that the army is an organization that is similar to AllenStevenson in that it values many of the same attributes he continues to believe strongly in: loyalty, both to our nation and to our fellow soldiers; honesty, even when that is not easy; and strength, not just of body, but of spirit. From the beginning of his career as an enlisted man, Chris knew that he wanted to become a U.S. Army Ranger, a member of the specialized, elite American light infantry and special operations troop of 2,500 men. After serving for seven years, he was commissioned as an officer in 2002. Today, as a Captain, he commands a 171-man Stryker Company based at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and expects to deploy again in 2009. His role as a Captain gives him the opportunity of not only leading but teaching - which he finds an important and rewarding part of his job. As he said to the Upper and Middle School boys in 2004 when he spoke at a Monday Morning Meeting:
“I want to talk to you about the culture of service. It will not be long before you gentlemen, by your actions, will have the ability to impact society. All too often I hear people criticize our government or the military for one thing or another but never want to get involved themselves. I challenge you to start thinking right now about how you could make our society better, and when you finish your schooling, you put those thoughts into actions. When you do your community service, it is an opportunity to consider different ways to identify problems and work to fix them. However you choose to serve - whether through your career or through part-time volunteering - you need to involve yourself to make some positive change." Chris continues to give his time to Allen-Stevenson. He has spoken to the Ninth Grade boys for several years on leadership, is a member of the Allen-Stevenson Alumni Council, and was Chair of his 20th reunion in 2007. He is married to the former Heather Sarg, and they have a five-year old son, Michael Thomas Hallows.